


Something Like A Bird

by GothMoth



Series: May's Phantastical Callings [36]
Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Angels, Cloud Halo, Family Bonding, Gen, Ghostly Attributes, Halloween, Halloween Costumes, Mischief, Mistaken Identity, Misunderstandings, No One Is Safe From Danny's Shit, Painting, Rhyming, Weird Biology, Wings, danny's a little shit, the quirks of being a halfa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:53:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 27,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24396847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GothMoth/pseuds/GothMoth
Summary: Danny’s love for the sky becomes part of him a little more literally and this is cause for some confusion and some misunderstandings.
Series: May's Phantastical Callings [36]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1405315
Comments: 160
Kudos: 646
Collections: I'm A What Now?, You haven’t lived if you haven’t read this





	1. Ground? Can’t Say I Know Her

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DannyMay 2020 Day 20: Sky

Danny sits up in bed and stretches before sighing down in the general direction of his legs. Honestly, if it weren’t for weird half-ghost physiology and all the constant fighting, his legs would probably have so little muscle mass that they wouldn’t really be useable anymore. 

It wasn’t because of some condition or injury or even laziness. No. It was because he had sort of _lost_ the fondness for the ground that pretty well all humans had. If he could get away with floating, then he did. Even if he was barely off the ground by centimetres. 

Getting up and kicking off the ground, letting his legs just hang out in the air while he digs through his closet. He even put a stupid amount of effort into staying as air born as possible. Okay, changing up his wardrobe didn’t _really_ count as a lot of effort; but he was still a teen and that kind of shit qualified as effort to him. 

Phasing on pants baggy and long enough to drag on the ground and conceal the fact that his legs weren’t really moving enough; and shoes a few sizes too big, so that the soles would touch the ground even if his feet weren’t touching the bottom of the shoes. It making him look a little taller was a nice bonus too. 

Yawning and tilting his head to wait for the sounds of his folks heading down into the lab, before floating and phasing through his door and into the bathroom. Haphazardly grabbing up a shirt as he goes. It’s probably dirty, smells it, he doesn’t really care though. One nice thing about keeping everything in the exact same spot, is that he didn’t need his eyes open to grab things when he had spent nearly all the night out dealing with ghosts (or didn’t have the time to actually _look_ at what he’s grabbing, for that matter). Like today for example, easily setting up his toothbrush with paste while yawning some more and crossing his legs. The further from the ground he could conveniently get, the better. 

Blinking his eyes open and choking on his toothpaste a little bit at the mirror. Mmm’ kay, maybe his friends had a point when they said he gave the sky so much attention that _it_ was going to get attached to _him_. 

Blinking and shaking his head to make sure he’s not having one of those exhaustion induced hallucinations. Then just staring a bit dumbfounded at the mirror, he had freaking _wings_. He is absolutely blaming tiredness and intangibility for why he didn’t notice them sooner, while he tilts his head over the kinda weird sensation of moving one of them up a bit. They’re near solid white but with black tipping to the feathers. Which might make them either ridiculously difficult to hide or way easier to hide. White _was_ a Hell of a lot easier to hide under clothing but practically glowed under light. He was one to know. But hey, at least the _wings_ weren’t literally glowing. That was something. 

Danny squints his eyes and smacks his forehead, “dumbass”, then goes through the motions of making them invisible. Blinking at the mirror when that doesn’t work. “Kay, what the fuck”. Shaking his head and deciding to just ignore that for now. Considering there are a few other _things_ going on, and his parents might have been jinxing him with all their ‘your head’s always in the clouds, Danny’ comments. Seeing as his head is _literally_ in the clouds. Like, _very literally_. Eyeballing one of the little clouds that seem content to just float around his head. They’re not even physically touching him, so no way invisibility would even work on them. Heck! Were they even a part of him? He’d question if it was just his ice powers doing something weird, if it wasn’t for being able to tell that his Core wasn’t doing anything beyond the regular body/ectoplasm regulation stuff. Plus his eyes weren’t doing the whole glowing blue thing.

Then blinking and leaning forward. Now that he’s thinking about it, while his eyes were his regular blue, it looked like the clouds weren’t just sticking to floating around his head. Watching the very tiny puffy white clouds moving across the blue of his irises. Whelp, guess even Jazz got a hit in. Every birthday she’d always sign his birthday cards with ‘for the little brother who’s only got eyes for the sky’ along with some star-related present of course. 

Flaring the ectoplasm in said eyes to turn them green purely to see what would happen. Shaking his head at that, of all things, being normal. Grumbling to himself, “can’t just walk around with my eyes all green”, pausing, “or glowing blue for that matter”. 

Then squinting and realising a slightly bigger problem, the white clouds overlapping his black hair effectively made him look slightly Phantom. And what would even _happen_ with all this in ghost form. Sighing and scrunching his eyes shut while transforming. More than a little thankful, and supremely confused, at his Phantom self just... looking _normal_.

Him looking over his shoulder at his back, “alright, I know my body honestly makes next to zero sense, but at least I don’t normally magic away mass entirely”. Even with his ghostly tail, the mass didn’t outright disappear, it just... changed from a solid to a gas. Shrugging and transforming back, well at least a wing-ed Phantom wasn’t on his list of issues. Currently. Hopefully. 

Glancing from the freaking wings -okay fine this was kinda cool, if he couldn’t already fly he’d be losing his goddamn mind with excitement- to the shirt he tossed on the counter, see this _was_ a problem. Arguably he could just make them intangible -since that seemed to work for whatever forsaken reason, but invisibility didn’t- but that would just make people wonder how the heck he was even _doing_ the intangibility. 

Sighing and grabbing up the shirt, grumbling as he floats back over to his room, “whelp, guess today’s a tank top kinda day”. Chucking the shirt into the corner of his room, before moving to dig through his closet yet again. 

Thankfully he doesn’t have to fiddle with how the Hell to put a tank top on over wings, instead just making use of intangibility like he normally does with all his clothing these days. Zipping back to the bathroom to fiddle with his hair in the mirror, purely to see how much of the clouds he could get to hide in his hair. Hint, the answer was none. Resulting in some defeated sighing. 

Whelp, nothing for it; he’s got school. Which fine, arguably he _could_ just skip. He rarely stayed all class and slept when he was there usually anyway. But he had never outright skipped an _entire freaking day_. And while his teachers had all functionally given up on him, just not showing up at all, had to be crossing a line they couldn’t just ignore. Right? 

He probably could get away with it. But he was a paranoid dumbass sometimes. 

Transforming ghost, phasing through the ceiling, and flying invisibly to school. Landing and promptly smacking his forehead while changing back human. “Dumbass. You literally just missed a prime ‘wing flight test’ opportunity. Fucking moron”. 

Shaking his head and staring up at the school sign, very belatedly realising he was also a dumbass by not consulting his friends _before_ flying off to school. Course he only comes to that particular realisation at hearing Sam’s voice right behind him. 

“Danny... what? What the Zone did you _do_ ”. 

Danny tilts his head and looks over his shoulder, manoeuvring his right wing out of his line of sight. Ancients that was still a weird feeling. The bone and muscle moving, that decidedly didn’t used to be there. “I have absolutely no idea”, actually turning around and running a hand through his hair, feeling his arm go through a cloud, “also can’t make it all invisible. Can do intangibly though. How the fuck that works, I also have no freaking clue”. 

Sam blinks, “so you just _decided to come to school_ and just do _nothing_ about this?”.

Danny shrugs, “yeah, pretty much”. What else was he supposed to do? 

She facepalms, shakes her head, and walks up, “did you even _attempt_ at figuring out what happened? Also, are there clouds in your eyes?”. 

Danny smirks, “yup”, popping the ‘p’, “and I’m not sure there even _is_ an explanation for _growing entirely new limbs_ in the span of, like, an hour”, gesturing to the clouds circling his head, “also, totally not my ice’s fault”. 

She sighs and yanks on a few of the feathers, which is definitely a weird and new feeling. Twitching the wing away from her when she actually yanks one out, “ow, what was that for?”. Sure, that barely hurt but it was the sentiment. 

She shrugs, “well, least we know you’ve got nerves in them”.

Danny glares a little, “I think I would have noticed a long ass time ago if there was no nerves”. 

“Debatable”. 

Danny rolls his eyes, rolling his shoulders too because now that he knew the things were there it was kinda hard to not notice the weird extra limbs; and the occasional feathers brushing against his skin. Him and Sam turning their heads as Tucker comes over, blinks at him, and pokes the clouds with a snicker. 

“What’s up space cadet. I think your mission to return to Earth failed”. 

Danny flicks his eyes up, catching a glance of one of the clouds. Speaking sarcastically, “oh, so _that’s_ why the forecast is still so cloudy”. Earning snorts from his friends.

Tucker shakes his head and jabs a thumb at the school doors, “well dude, wanna go through the Hell of school anyways? Do the usual and pretend absolutely nothing unusual is going on with you?”.

Danny shrugs and stuffs his hands in his pockets, “yeah, that’s the plan here”, smirking, “meaning I don’t have a plan at all”. Not that he had even tried really making a plan. But not only did his actual plans not usually work out, he also usually did better flying by the seat of his pants. 

Sam makes a face, “if no one notices this, I vote we just give up on even bothering hiding shit”. 

Both boys immediately responding with, “seconded”, before heading in. Though Tucker and Sam absolutely do walk on either side of Danny and _in front_ of each respective wing. Which yeah, probably smarter than just going guns blazing full-frontal wings.

* * *

It is a surprise to absolutely no one that Valerie is the first to comment on Danny’s everything and does so pretty well immediately as soon as the trio gets to their lockers. Valerie looking him up and down while shutting her own locker, “what the Zone did your parents _do_?”. 

Sam snorts at that, looking to Danny, “I like how she blames _your parents_ instead of _you_ ”.

Danny rolls his eyes, “why does this have to be my fault?”. Granted, trends point to that probably being the case. His friends clearly agreed with that, based on the mildly judgmental glares. Regardless Danny looks to Valerie, “I have no clue. I also haven’t even bothered really looking into the how or anything really. Besides a mirror, anyway”.

Valerie shakes her head and chuckles, “you are the definition of a mess. You feelin’ fine though?”. 

Danny instantly waving her off, “I’m good, I’m good. Don’t be fretting”. And he really did feel okay. Maybe if he wasn’t still floating, aka defying gravity, then the wings would probably have a weight to them. Logically anyway. Not that his body typically followed logic. Or his half-life. Or his friends. Or anything around him actually. 

All three glare at him suspiciously, which fine, is understandable. He did have a serious habit of hiding injuries and outright lying about being ‘fine’. So he makes an attempt at comedy by smirking and twitching the wings out a little. Which predictably goes wrong and results in him knocking some random kid over. But that does get his friends laughing, and the random kid just flips him off and doesn’t even acknowledge the fact that he was knocked over by _a freaking wing._

Danny turns his head and bangs it on his locker door. While Valerie raises her eyebrows, “wow, this town is _waaaaaaay_ too used to weird shit”.

Tucker pats Danny on the back between the wings, “especially when a Fenton is involved”. At least his friends wouldn’t be weird about his weirdness. 

Sam smirks, “especially especially if it’s Danny of all Fenton’s”. 

Danny rolls his eyes but chuckles as they head to English, “must you mock me so”. Then raising an eyebrow at Valerie, she didn’t even have English this semester.

Valerie rolls her eyes right back at him, “oh there is _no way_ I am not tagging along. Lancer reacting to _this_ is way better than my stupid mandatory health education class”. 

Sam points at her, “you know, ‘mandatory’ kinda implies actually showing up is something you should probably do”. Valerie just shrugs as she, Sam and Tucker sit down near the back. 

The three watching Danny promptly slam his left wing into the stupid bar attaching the chair to the desk. Danny wincing and very dramatically mouthing ‘ow’, before having a serious struggle with getting the wing around/over the bar; pretty well having to get back up just do it successfully. Stupid not being able to use intangibility in public. 

By the time he’s actually managed the task Tucker is wheezing into his desktop, Sam’s covering a smirk with her hand, Valerie actually looks a little pitying, and half the class is staring at him. Danny, like an asshole, makes the very unoriginal comment of, “take a picture, it’ll last longer”. Earning a few single laughs and eye-rolls.

Lancer comes in a few minutes later, glances at Danny, and puts his briefcase on his desk without missing a beat. Asking as he goes about setting up what little he needs to, “Mr. Fenton, do you need to go to the nurse?”.

Valerie mumbles into her hand, “ _that’s_ what he’s going to ask? Really?”. 

Danny waves his hand around dismissively, “I’m fine. Don’t worry about it”. What would the nurse even do?

Lancer glares at him, making Danny seriously wonder just how much glaring he was going to receive today. “I find I don’t believe that. Nurse. Now. I’d say go home, but I also find that I doubt that would actually be helpful”. 

Danny leans back and groans dramatically, mentally noting how super _not_ comfortable hard chair backs are on wing bones, “awwww but what will I do, missing the wonderful words of poetry and a language I already know how to speak?”, putting a hand to his chest, “the absolute horror”. Straightening out and leaning on his elbows, “also, it legit took, like, whole bloody minutes to get into this desk. I don’t really feel like making that kind of effort again”. 

Lancer pinches the bridge of his nose and points at the door, “nurse, _please_. Mr. Fenton”, before taking attendance. 

Danny rolls his eyes and sighs, getting out of his desk while making as many exaggerated movements as he possibly can. Lancer does thank him very exasperatedly while he floats out of the room, pants slightly noisily dragging on the ground.

Danny smirks to himself and very loudly laughs, “HA!”, when he hears Lancer tell Valerie to go to _her_ class. She sticks out her tongue at Danny while closing the door. 

* * *

Danny floats ever so slightly above the little examining table thing in the nurses' office, swinging his legs around and fiddling with the feathers. At least Casper had a decent nurse nowadays, considering how freakishly commonplace injuries were now. Even injuries that were probably extremely alarming. He’s pretty sure most high schools don’t deal with monthly broken bones. Definitely don’t deal with ecto-burns. 

Sending the red-head nurse a friendly wave as she comes in. She very noticeably looks him over quickly before sighing, “is there any point?”. 

Danny chuckles and rubs his neck, “I mean, probably not”. 

She sighs again but motions for him to get off the tank top anyway. Making Danny realise a slight issue. Namely, that he has no idea how to do that, “uh, getting this on was enough of a hassle. Not really looking to do that again”. 

She crosses her arms at him for a beat before sighing yet again and motioning for him to just turn around. He has to very pointed make it look like he is actually turning around like a normal person instead of just spinning in the air. 

It’s more than a little odd feeling some random person proding at the new skin, bones, and feathers. Her moving the limbs around makes him tilt his head, he could actually feel new muscles in his back and even chest. Super weird. Turning back around when she steps back, though eyeballing her hands as she sticks them in between the space between the clouds and his head. 

He doesn’t feel even an ounce of shame at her actually scratching her head like she’s in a bad movie. Regardless, she shakes her head and grabs up one of those triangular eye devices, giving his eyes a good once over. Somehow he doubts Lancer actually noticed the weird cloud eyes thing he’s got going on. 

She steps back and puts her hands on her hips, “well, as far as I can tell, your eyes are just a pigmentation mutation; otherwise they’re fine. The _wings_ seem fully integrated with your body, and don’t seem to be causing any kind of harm. Amputating them would likely be a very bad idea-”.

Danny cuts in at that with a snort, “I think I’ll pass on having anything that can even vaguely qualify as my body parts being chopped off”. Especially with the threat of that actually happening being somewhat commonplace. 

She glares at him, “I think most people would feel that way”, shaking her head and glancing up, probably at the head clouds, “as for the strange weather pattern going around your head, we’re just going to pretend that’s not happening, okay? It’s illogical and impossible”.

Danny quirks an eyebrow and gestures at a wing, “and the rest of this is?”. Earning another glare. So he puts up his hands in surrender, speaking with a cheeky grin, “fine fine. The clouds around my head no longer exist, even if they do”. Though it was nice to know his eyes weren’t messed up. Even if he’d probably notice if his eyesight was damaged without someone having to tell him. 

She sighs and shakes her head, “good. Unless you start experiencing pain or discomfort, just go through your classes”, continuing to speak while Danny smoothly floats to ‘stand’ up, “and when you get home, tell your parents to throw out whatever new invention”. 

Making Danny snort, “I’ll be sure to do that”. Taking the little ‘I’m healthy, the nurse said so’ blue slip from her and heading out. 

Danny absolutely glides back into English with a very smug look, waving the slip around a bit. He also, like an asshole, makes a point of getting back into his desk in the most distracting way possible. His sense of shame is definitively more dead than he is. You can only get covered in goop, forced to eat underwear, and actually get injured by _the Box Ghost_ ; so many times before feeling shame becomes functionally next to impossible. 

Lancer looks like he actively wants to die. Which just makes Danny feel and look even smugger. 

* * *

Danny walks into the gymnasium with Valerie, who’s poking at the wings, “I seriously can’t believe the nurse just shrugged you off”. 

Danny shrugs, “well what’s she supposed to do? I seriously doubt they taught her wing health or cloud biology in nursing school or whatever”. 

Valerie commenting, “that is _not_ what I meant”, before they part to go into the change rooms. 

Danny grumbles into his gym locker, “the shirt problem just keeps on smacking me in the face”, while flipping off his gym t-shirt; which he obviously can’t wear without intangibility. Well, without destroying the sleeves and looking like one Hell of an idiot. No shame did not equal willing to willingly look like a dumbass without any kind of gain. 

Tying his shoes, gym was basically the only time he wore things that actually fit him now. Tetslaff would verbally murder him otherwise. Which, of course, meant he had to actually be grounded, ugh, for around an hour. Straightening up and brushing off his long gym shorts before dropping his gravity-defying entirely. Resulting in him yelping and falling backwards on his ass, grabbing one of the little benches on reflex. Alright. He was totally right. These things were _heavy_ and were totally off-balancing him. 

Standing up and staggering a little. Okay, fuck it. He’s not going to be floundering around like some dude who just hit puberty and freakishly nearly doubled in height or something. Reactivating his gravity-defying, but just to his wings, and sorta flapping them a bit. He’s also glad he came into the changing room late, because that would have absolutely gotten him some serious mocking. 

Sticking his head out the door and attempting at sneaking over to the group, Valerie rolling her eyes at him all the while. Probably because he’s utterly failing at being stealthy. Based on the staring he’s getting anyway, and the seriously annoyed-looking Tetslaff . 

“Fenton, where’s your gym shirt and what sort of dumb joke are you pulling”.

Danny snorts and rolls his eyes hard, “while I have quite the dedication to a good joke, I’m not about to give myself brand new muscles and limbs for a joke. Shirt’s in the locker, can’t wear it”. Danny flashes the blue nurse slip to hopefully make a point that this isn’t him just screwing around. He kinda wishes it was. Especially when she walks off, grabs a very large gym shirt and throws it at him. 

Danny just sighs and pulls it over his head, stuffing the wings -it’s a fucking _tight_ fit- inside and pressed again his back. Valerie bends over wheezing in laughter at him, most of the class joining in. 

Danny can hear Tetslaff grumble impressively quietly to herself, “huh, he can actually move them. Well I’ll be damned”. Then looking around to the group and snapping, “alright shut up you lazy maggots”, and glaring till everyone does. Even if a few keep eyeballing Danny and snickering. “Today we’re doing laps outside to warm up and soccer. No you _will not_ be picking your own teams, so don’t even bother wasting my time by asking”. Everyone immediately groaning but following her out the gym doors to the slightly soggy field. The squishy ground just really makes Danny want to be floating. Which of course just brings the feeling of actually walking being weird and off and foreign to the front of his mind. Making it a little harder to not be floating. Meaning he has to actually focus on intentionally not floating. 

Kwan glances to him and mumbles, “that looks goddamn uncomfortable”, before jerking up his hand and making a suggestion that Danny’s not sure if it’s a blessing or downright mean, “maybe Fenton should make use of his weirdness and _fly_ the course”, jabbing a thumb downwards to gestures to Danny’s decently muscular legs -which Danny is forever thankful people pass off as being because of having two extremely athletic friends and his hunter parents- before continuing, “‘s not like Fenton actually _needs_ to practice running”. 

When Tetslaff tilts her head, looking to actually be considering this, Valerie looks to Danny and snickers, “you poor bastard”. Though Danny _would_ rather fly/float rather than run. By a long shot. And yeah, the shirt is _not_ comfortable. Pressing down all the feathers and they’d probably get sore or something after a while. 

Tetslaff turns to Danny and puts her hands on her hips, “alright boy, ya feel like doing that? Might as well make this class an interesting one. Not like any of you scraps are actually good at running. Most of you anyway”, then giving Valerie and a few others small approving nods. 

Danny grumbles at the ground incoherently. On one hand, jogging with the wings stuffed and pinned down like this sounds like it could classify as a form of mild torture. One the other hand, he has no idea how to use these things and he can’t just float and _pretend_ to fly; since he has no idea how to fake flying either. On a third hand (on one wing?), he would much _much_ rather be up in the air _and_ this would arguably be an excuse to go much higher than the centimetres he manages while floating/fake walking around school. On a fourth hand (on the other wing?), there is precisely zero chance of him _flying_ not being literally _the_ most attention-grabbing ‘look at me! I have wings!’ sign he could possibly raise. Like running through the halls screaming and bang pans on the lockers would be less attention-grabbing. Zone, shooting someone with an ecto-beam would be less noticeable. 

And lots of attention and grabbing the spotlight doesn’t really bode well for his superheroing. Being socially invisible is vaguely necessary half the time. Though he’s also clearly not hiding the fucking wings. He really should have made a goddamn plan. 

Regardless Danny mentally says fuck it, looks Tetslaff straight in the eyes, and fucking whips off the oversized gym shirt, “face-planting into the ground sounds better than running”. 

Valerie gives him one very unimpressed glare, “Zone you are a moron”. 

“This should not be news to you”. 

“I seriously wish it was”. 

Danny just smirks and rolls his shoulders a little, wings moving with the motion obviously. Also obviously resulting in him drawing pretty much everyone’s attention. 

Tetslaff points at him, “I don’t care if you crash or not, if it’s not a concussion, you’re not copping out to the nurse”. Danny feels slightly worried when she actually smirks, “and for a little added incentive, the rest of these sorry excuses will chase you”. 

Danny scrunches up his face, “now that’s just mean”. Even if he was rather used to being chased by quite a few of the people here, Valerie for one; and she was usually on a hoverboard! 

Tetslaff grunts, “go whine about it to somebody who cares, angel boy. Now get”. 

Danny just grumbles about already getting a damn ‘nickname’ out of this crap. Then side-eyeing Valerie’s mildly malicious smirk. Danny absolutely intentionally whining pathetically, “I hate you”.

She replies back with a cheeky and friendly sounding, “I hate you too”, before lunging at him. 

Danny easily dodging to the side with a snicker, before booking off on foot. If anyone nags him about that, he’ll say he figured he needed a running start or something. While grumbling, “alright self, guess it’s time to break these things in _without_ literally breaking them... or anything else, preferably”. 

First thing first, return gravity to them and _not_ fall on his ass, least he expects the weight this time; doesn’t stop him from slipping in the wet grass and mud a little though. Comically looking from wing to wing while doing something that resembles stretching them out and doing a little flap. Which fine, super weird feeling. Like, _super_ weird. Jumping probably a little higher than a human really can to avoid Dale attempting to straight-up tackle him, making a damn point to flap a little purely so he can blame the added height on getting some literal wind beneath his wings. All the while chuckling a bit to himself over a couple of folks muttering about how ‘he’s really gonna try it, damn’ very disbelievingly. 

Blinking and then smirking over getting an idea, very intentionally zig-zagging around until someone tries to tackle him again. Surprise surprise, it’s another jock. In fact, it’s a slightly pissy looking Dash of all people. Course he expects the jump up this time and tries grabbing Danny’s shoes with a mean smirk. Danny just smirks right back, sticks a wing out to trip him, lands lightly on the jocks back and rather effectively springs off into the air. 

Flapping very erratically and awkwardly, but managing to stay in the air for a little bit before crashing back into the ground. Danny’s just impressed with himself that he didn’t crash instantaneously. While Dash spins around and shouts, “did you seriously just use my back as leverage?!?”. Danny gives a few _very_ cocky rapid nods with a wide grin. Making Dash practically snarl in rage at him before lunging. 

Danny just side steps, letting one of the geeks attempting to sneak up on him barrel into Dash. While also making a damn point to keep the wings from getting muddy. Somehow he doubts muddy feathers equals easy flying and using freaking _wings_ was a shit ton different from his easy floating. Floating was as easy as just flipping a switch to turn off gravity and pushing or pulling on the particles around him with his own energy to move. Simple. Easy. This wing thing required coordinating two brand new limbs, learning how the heck to move them properly, getting enough air under them, and learning to drive them; while also dealing with actually having to fight against gravity for a change. A normal person wouldn’t be annoyed or bothered by that though. Since said normal people always had to fight gravity just to jump up or climb shit. Those poor bastards.

Danny narrowly avoids Valerie and grabs her shoulder, effectively backflipping over her before trying to flap some more. Arguably doing fucking tricks is not going to help him or make this any easier. But he’s always enjoyed showing off around Val a little. So sue him. It’s also not surprising he lands practically on his head though. Detaching from gravity a little to make the impact suck less, though not enough to noticeably float; before regaining his footing on the ground. Valerie turning around and rolling her eyes at him. 

Tetslaff mumbles to herself, “this is exactly why I requested they be put in this class together. They actually _try_ to impress and actually do well. Instead of being a shame on the entire class with their apathy and laziness”. Danny kinda had a feeling him and Val got stuck together for a reason, and fine, yes he did actually put in more effort with her here. 

Danny sidesteps two of the alternative kids while attempting this flapping thing without some silly trick, actually managing to go a little ways before whacking into a metal pole. Easily seeing a few people cringe and Valerie shakes her head while laughing a little. Danny scrambling up and running some while patting down his left wing to make sure he didn’t just fuck it up. It would be just his luck to break them the very first time he used them. Giving everyone, mainly Valerie though, a little thumbs up to say he’s right as rain. Using the slippery surface of the grass to skid himself around as everyone returns their more genuine effort into catching him now that they know he’s not fucked up. Danny grabbing the same pole he smacked into and using his bare hands to climb up it a little ways. Figuring if he just uses his feet to spring off it and thus be up a little higher, he might actually fly on these wing things for more than a minute. 

Easily hearing one of the geeks that isn’t even attempting to catch him really -which she is definitely getting glared at by Tetslaff for- mumble, “oh that’s smart. Overly reckless, but smart”, then sounding annoyed and bitter, “if this school wasn’t insane there’s no way the teacher would let him do that though”. Making Danny laugh. 

Surprise surprise, Danny’s wet shoes don’t exactly have good grip and he immediately slips as soon as he tries pushing off the pole. He’s not about to face plant again though and just defies gravity enough to get his footing back and be flung out into the air. 

Flapping and actually managing to not wobble in the air too horribly, so he sticks his tongue out at Dale and Dash. Flapping more to actually move forward down the ‘track’, eventually giggling to himself because fuck this was awesome. Defying gravity made the whole ‘actually feeling the air as you floated/flew’ pretty darn optional. Plus, while he could feel through his jumpsuit, that thing was thick. Whereas right now his arms and legs were totally bare. The wind -even if there wasn’t much since he was going barely above default human running speed and wobbling all other the place- felt really cool and nice going through the feathers. Flat out laughing at glancing his eyes up and noticing the clouds around his head actually appeared to speed up or slow down their swirling based on how fast he went. 

Yelping and flapping hard to narrowly avoid Valerie jumping up and nearly snagging him. “Hey! It’s no fair if no one can reach you! Asshole!”. Danny nearly makes himself crash, again, by tipping a wing to lower himself closer to her and bop her on the head with said wing. She flails her hands comically to bat his wing away like an annoying bug, both of them chuckling. Regardless he flaps to stay a little closer to the ground, which isn’t very close considering he needs to be high enough to avoid hitting the ground with the wings. Plus, he’s wobbly as shit, so staying at a consistent height feels kinda impossible right now. Staying in one spot was probably _the_ hardest thing to do with wings, while it was the easiest thing to do with his floating. 

Tetslaff grunts to herself, “well he’s got some hang of it”. Danny dodges another swipe from Dash while she clears her throat and shouts over at him, “make them work for it! Enough just flapping in the air! Actually fly!”. 

Danny is slightly weirded out at being encouraged to use the wings. Amity definitely was too used to weird. He shrugs at his classmates that actually are chasing him. Extending the wings fully and deciding to see just what one serious flap will do. Glancing at them while gliding a little and muttering, “holy shit”, along with a few other people. His wingspan was fucking _huge_. How the Hell did all this compact down? 

Valerie grumbles, “he can’t be quiet and lowkey about anything, can he”. Danny just smirks before giving a good hard flap and going wide-eyed at pretty much shooting off like a rocket; the clouds around his head spinning so fast they just look like a ring of white. 

Everyone else just stops running and stares off after him, comically cringing at the loud thunk and a tree falling over. 

Pretty well everyone turns to Tetslaff and sticks their hands out to the side disbelievingly. The teacher just shrugs and grunts, “kid’s durable, he’s fine. Get back to running”. When everyone points after Danny she snaps, “no, on the track, you nitwits! You lot clearly need to work those legs more if he can outpace you with limbs he’s had for not even half a day!”. 

Danny’s honestly glad he managed to flip around in the air to land against the tree with the entirety of his back and legs, rather than his face. Pushing himself up off the tree and shaking his head at the roots he ripped out of the ground. Lifting up a wing and shaking off droplets of rain and leaves, geez he could probably take someone’s head off with these things. Figures his ass would have something else about him that’s freaky strong. 


	2. Painted Oddities

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DannyMay 2020 Day 26: Strange

By the time he gets out of the tree line, he’s got twigs and other woodland debris stuck in his feathers and hair. Sure he could’ve used intangibility, would have been easier, but this was honestly funny. He probably looks ridiculous and he is totally taking a photo of this shit. He knows he’s damn right when he gets back over to his class and they laugh or snicker a bit breathlessly at him. 

Valerie comes over and claps a hand on one wing, “fucking tag, you’re it”. 

“Pretty sure we’re not doing that anymore. But...”, Danny extends the wing hard enough to basically toss her and knock her over. 

She flips him off while getting back up, punching him on the shoulder, “jerk”, wiping some of the mud and leaves he got on her off, “you are so going to need a shower”. 

Danny just smirks and flaps them like crazy, effectively getting them cleanish and splattering everyone with mud and debris. Leaving one mildly clean smirking Danny and a lot of unimpressed glaring teens. Tetslaff was smart and stayed a safe distance away from the strangest teen ever and was smirking to herself. 

Dash growls at him a little, “I’m gonna kill you, Fentwig”, and walks into Danny’s face. Tetslaff snapping and blowing her whistle, “settle it on the field boys!”, and chucks the soccer ball at them. 

Danny is honestly impressed with himself at catching it with a wing and decides to hold the ball up over his head between the two wings, smirking all the while. 

Kwan points at Danny, “we’re not allowed to hold the ball, dude”.

Danny just smirks more, “no hands ma”, and does little jazz hands for emphasis. 

Jesse shakes her head and grumbles, “wow, heaven-sent their trash fire angel”. While Tetslaff blows her whistle again, but slightly aggressively. Danny smartly tosses the ball into the field, preferring to avoid the large teachers' wrath. Even if he’s starting to seriously wonder if the ‘nickname’ was less ‘nickname’ and more _people actually just deciding he’s a freaking angel, what the fuck_. 

Danny and Valerie both turn and quirk their eyebrows at Jesse. Who rolls her eyes, “what? That’s obviously why you’ve got this going on”, gesturing to all of him vaguely, “even if you’re apparently inept or ridiculously out of practice”. 

Hanna waves her off, “it’s heavens, or whatever’s, fault for hiding his shit away for so long or whatever”, shrugging, “if I hadn’t had my legs for sixteen years, I’d probably fall on my ass too”. 

Jesse waves her off right back, “you’re too graceful for that girl”, jabbing her thumb towards Danny, “he’s a clumsy idiot”. 

Danny mumbles, “hey”, but doesn’t exactly sound offended. Not getting to comment on this ‘you’re an angel, Danny’ crap further when the ball gets kicked towards them and Danny just reflexively blocks it with a damn wing. Mumbling at the wing, “huh, guess they’ve got some uses”. 

Valerie rolls her eyes but moves to kick the ball back over while the rest of the class, including them, joins up, “I think flying already qualifies as a use, you idiot”. 

Dale rolls his eyes, “ghosts can fly too, he ain’t special”. Danny can’t help chuckling at that.

Tetslaff looks around at everyone and grunts, promptly shoving the teens around into their respective groups. Pointing at Danny, “no hands _or_ wings, Fenton”. 

Danny makes a pouty face, “awwwww”, but joins his team anyway, tying the red fabric around his neck instead of pulling it over the damn wings. Not like anyone’s going to just forget what team the guy with freaking wings is on. Amity isn’t quite _that_ oblivious. Hopefully. Maybe. 

Dale, his team captain, smirks and points at Danny, “goalie”. Making Danny smirk at the other team maliciously while getting into place. Normally he’d never be picked for this but... goalies could use their hands, or wings in his case. 

By the third time Danny blocks a ball with a wing and not even having to move otherwise, his face hurts a little from grinning and the other team all throw their hands up and turn to the teacher. Dale comes up to him and claps him on a wing, “you’re not so bad, Fenton”. Making Danny chuckle. 

Tetslaff looks around and grins, “everyone vs Fenton. Whoever gets a goal on Fenton wins”. 

Danny groans while Dale smirks at him and joins everyone in basically a full-on assault, Tetslaff even throwing in more balls. Danny smirks after blocking a shit ton and getting an idea, managing to actually cover the entirety of the goal with his wings and contorting a fair bit uncomfortably. Hanging off the top of the goal by his hands and grinning, pretty well entirely detaching from gravity, making it a Hell of a lot easier to hold the position; since he’s really just floating in one spot.

Everyone throws their hands up once more since it’s literally impossible to get a goal now. Then watching as all the balls just float up into the air and get whipped at a now wide-eyed Danny, followed by a glowing green ball. Danny just takes the hit and gets predictably thrown back a few feet. Everyone else turning and gapping as Skulker just phases up through the ground. Tetslaff points at the metal ghost, “guess we have a winner”. 

Valerie sputters disbelievingly. Sputtering even more when the ghost actually seems proud and doesn’t notice Danny sneaking up before he smacks Skulker over the head with a wing; decapitating the metal suit. 

Danny blinks down at the knocked off helmet, “huh, I was right. I _can_ knock heads off with these things”. Everyone comically stepping away from the easy range of his wings with mock looks of fear on their faces.

Before everyone’s eyes widen at Skulker (the real teeny-tiny one) crawling out of the helmet and shaking his tiny fist at Danny. Everyone standing around him in a group and staring down at the ghost, while a feather falls on him and starts steaming. Skulker batting away the thing and staring at the burn it left. 

Danny smirks and pokes Skulker with a wingtip, grinning maliciously when that burns the ghost, who looks a little concerned now. 

Valerie gapes open-mouthed and yanks one of Danny’s feathers out, Danny doesn’t bother complaining about that. Valerie poking Skulker, burning him again. Skulker promptly deciding to phase back through the ground and steal away his suit; he needed to gather some information on the halfas new development. 

Valerie looks Danny’s feather over, “it’s anti-ghost”, then looking at Danny disbelievingly, “only you Danny, only you”. 

Danny pokes a wing, “no one tell my folks”. Earning a few laughs. Danny blinking over his breath coming out icy, followed by everyone looking up with him and gasping. Watching Ember floating around and seemingly searching for something. Danny would bet she’s looking for Skulker. 

Valerie walks off and comes back with a bow and arrow, no one bothered questioning anymore how she could just randomly procure weapons at the drop of a hat. Danny watching curiously as she sticks the feather she took from him on it and shoots at Ember. 

Everyone watching the ghost jerk and steam a bit before glaring at them. Danny just points to a few ecto-scorch marks on the ground that Skulker made; he’s probably the only one that can easily see her defeated sigh and small head shake. She was probably annoyed with Skulker’s overboard hunting again. Ember shouts down at him, “nice look, kid. Pretty sure angels totally count as dead”. Making Danny snort and laugh a little, moving his hand up and flicking the clouds around his head to spin fast enough to do the whole looking like a solid white ring thing again. Ember just shakes her head with a smile and disappears from sight. 

Kwan chuckles awkwardly, “congrats, I think you impressed her”. Danny just smirks, while the bell goes off.

* * *

Valerie falling in step with him in the halls, “so, you gonna start loaning out feathers for protection now?”. 

Tucker runs up and practically shouts at them, “damn well better charge a pretty penny”. 

Danny rolls his eyes, “people can literally just yank them off me, Tuck. I doubt that’s gonna _fly_ ”. Earning some groans. Then glaring at the air a little, if people start trying to steal his feathers right off him, there’s gonna be issues. Least he’s back in his regular shoes and pants, and thusly not having to contact the ground, though. 

Slipping into class and thankfully having slightly less issues with the damn desk, he _did_ have some practice after all so it made sense. Tucker and Valerie still snicker at him though, the assholes. 

Danny barely makes it halfway through class before his phone -not his ghost sense, it’s a miracle... and kinda weird- goes off. Leaving Danny blinking down in mild shock at the Frootloops caller id, floating out of class without even looking up from said phone and completely ignoring the disbelieving teacher; who glares after him and throws out her hands just as the door closes. 

Danny phases through the roof and comes to float invisibly above the school. Blinking at the now invisible wings, “what the fuck? So they _can_ be invisible just only if _all of me_ is? That’s stupid. My body’s stupid”, shakes his head and answers the call while flipping onto his back to watch the sky. “Whatcha want, Frootloop? It _is_ school hours you know”. 

_“Care to explain why Skulker informed me of a peculiar development of yours?”._

Danny shrugs pointlessly, “can’t say I know the reason why he tells you anything”.

_“That is not what I mean boy, and you know it”._

Danny huffs and rolls his eyes, “you’re no fun. Besides, I still don’t have an answer for you. Heck! Why would I even tell you if I did?”. 

Vlad sighs rather loudly, _“Daniel, this is **not** some halfa thing. I certainly **do not** have wings. Especially not ones that are apparently anti-ecto”._

“Well I’m pretty sure the devil lost his wings or whatever when he fell from heaven. So figures you wouldn’t”.

_“Why do I try? You know boy, sometimes I am **actually** helpful. This is **not** normal”._

Danny huffs and barks out a laugh, “when is anything about me ever normal? And considering you almost _always_ have some ulterior motive, I have no reason to play nice here. No, you can’t have any of the feathers, don’t even ask”. 

_“So much unnecessary hostility-”._

“What? Who’s hostile? Me? No never”, Danny chuckles, “you’ve earned it Vladdie. And Vlad? We’re made different remember? And you’re less ghost than I am. We’re going to be different. I mean, look at your vampire ass. Why the fuck is your skin _blue_ ”.

_“That is my ghost form Daniel, **not** my human one. I will give you that it is possible that maybe your ghost side has more effect on your human one due to you being more ghost. But to develop entirely new limbs? That is something to be concerned about and I know you do not get concerned about pretty well any of ‘your weird’, as you so eloquently like to put it”,_ sighing, _“you are the only like me Daniel. You’ll have to excuse me actually occasionally caring sometimes”._

Danny blinks and sits up the be cross-legged, alright so the nut case was _actually_ worried. Danny’s not sure if he should be impressed by that or a little creeped out; considering the whole ‘I want to be your new dad and murder your real one’ thing. And fine, it was super weird that this was affecting _human_ him not ghost him. Speaking a bit sarcastically, “awww that’s so sweet”, rubbing his neck, “you said my name _twice_ there, so I guess you are actually worried. If it’s anything, I feel fine. Sure they’re heavy and off-balancing, but it’s rare I’m in touch with gravity so it’s not like I notice. Nurse says I’m good. Got new muscles and bones and shit. But fine”. 

Vlad mumbles seemingly to himself, _“so they’re actually integrated into your regular body. Curious”, **clearing his throat** , “I’ve already said I am indeed worried, Daniel. It is almost impressive how little you believe in me-”._

Danny snorts, “you’ve earned my totally disbelief, you’re the _villain_ ”.

Vlad sighs, _“think of me what you will. Wait, you are not usually in touch with gravity?“._

Danny inspects his nails a little while responding, “nope”, popping the ‘p’, “float pretty much always. Baggy pants and too big shoes keep that fact from being noticed tho. Rather be in the air than touching the ground, ya know?”, sighing and putting a hand behind his head, spreading the wings out, “closer to the sky the better”, tilting his head, “what? Not the same for you?”.

_“No. It is seldom I use my powers in my human state. However, hmmmmm”._ Danny just waits on the guy to finish thinking and can easily hear that he’s walking around, probably in circles or something. _“In my younger years I would keep my ghost fangs out purely to help with **negotiations** with businesses. Eventually my human self simply developed its own. It is quite possible this is something similar. I’ll be it, much more extreme. But while having fangs is quite possible and even occasionally natural for the human body, wings are certainly **not**. However, being able to float is utterly impossible for biological physical creatures. So it arguably could be possible that your body developed the closest thing it could to aid you in achieving what your floating allows you to, without being reliant on your ghost half”. _

Danny tilts his head more, huh, that was surprisingly logical. “So it _is_ probably a halfa thing then. And you’ve done something probably similar. So there, no reason to fret old man. Go back to being unnecessarily villainous and apparently using your fangs to intimidate businessmen”, chuckling, “totally didn’t know your human form had fangs though. Figured that was just your ghost forms vampire bullshit”. 

_“Of course you didn’t. You very well could have asked-”._

Danny snorts, “me? Ask you? Right. Not gonna generally happen, you nut case”. 

Vlad sighs, _“one of these days, Daniel. Well I guess I can afford to let you go now. Though if you have issues I would prefer if you’d let me know, even if I doubt you will. Have your parents reacted poorly?”._

Danny rubs his neck, knowing there was actual genuine concern there when it came to his parents possibly hurting him. “They haven’t seen yet. And I’d get help from my _English teacher_ before I’d go to you”. Lancer was actually pretty cool and genuinely cared. 

Vlad grumbles, _“at least you’ll go to an adult. Though I would hope you’d come to me before Samantha’s parents. Do try to at least make some form of plan to deal with them”._

Danny makes a face, “I don’t think even _you_ could pay me to go to them for anything. Which is saying something. And me? Plan? Unlikely”.

_“You’re going to get yourself killed, boy”._

Danny smirks, “already have. Twice”. 

_“Plan **something** Daniel”_, and hangs up. 

Danny shakes his head at the phone, though he _did_ kinda have a point. And at least Danny had a possible idea what the fuck was up with him and his weird now. Flipping around in the air and looking down at the school, wow he floated quite a ways up. 

* * *

He’s honestly not surprised he’s missed a bit of lunch, as he sits down at the Defect Quartets table, “gotta call from the basket case, apparently he’s _worried_ ”, chuckling, “someone was a little snitch about these suckers”, pointing over his shoulder at the wings and giving them a little flap. 

Sam rolls her eyes, “uh-huh, more likely he was just fishing for information”.

Valerie shakes her head, “I have no clue who you’re talking about, sounds like a jerk though”. 

All three other teens responding with, “major jerk”. 

Tucker points at Danny while stabbing his ‘food’ with a fork, “so he knows huh? Does he, y’ know?”.

Danny knows damn well Tuck is just asking if the guy has wings of his own, which obvious ‘no’ there. Shaking his head, “naw he doesn’t. Something else though”. Sam and Tucker both hum while Valerie rolls her eyes, likely mentally grumbling about the trio being weird and secretive again. All four looking up as the bell goes off, Danny scarfing down what’s left of his food. 

* * *

Danny would be slightly worried if any teacher other than Mrs. Remi had grinned wickedly at him the second he entered the class. But she was sweet and, like pretty well every art teacher ever, a little odd. He personally loved her because instead of begrudgingly just accepting and being annoyed over his constant leaving, she just _didn’t notice_. So long as she was drawing or painting herself, you could pretty well do whatever you wanted without being noticed. Which fine, was half the reason her class was so popular. Though you damn well better make sure to actually turn in the projects and she could absolutely tell if you put in effort or not. Danny actually _liked_ art though, so that wasn’t an issue for him. 

Watching the hyperactive teacher start pushing around the tables and throwing a massive sheet of brown paper on the floor, Danny has precisely zero idea what’s going on here; other than it probably involves him and making a mess. That doesn’t really give any clues though, since him and messes tended to go hand in hand. But hey! at least she wasn’t glaring at him like the rest of the teachers. 

She huffs with a smile and puts her hands on her hips, turning around to all the watching teens, “we’re in the creative liberties section and painting with credit cards is old news. I was going to have you paint on wood, but I figured why not take some _real_ artistic liberties and paint on _feathers_ ”.

Danny looks down at the floor, “what is it with this town and making me suffer?”, but looks up and shrugs, “eh, why not”, continuing when everyone looks to him menacingly, “you are _not_ plucking them out though. That shit _hurts_ ”. 

Mrs. Remi points to the centre of the floor quite gleefully, “lay face down and spread ‘em. You’re getting a paint massage today”, looking around at everyone else, “consider this your group project. Style, stained glass. Use acrylic, watercolour, tempera, or spray paint”. 

Danny lays on the ground -dropping his gravity-defying entirely because people will absolutely notice he’s hovering off the ground otherwise- and gets comfy, this is a wonderful excuse to nap and not get in trouble for it. Ancients, he might actually get a better grade for it. Win win. Blinking and realising a bit belatedly that his shirt is probably going to get ruined as Remi puts paper on his back and under the wings. Which yes, Danny absolutely goes limp for just to be a bit of an asshole. Not feeling even slightly bad for that -the wings were heavy and probably a pain to move around- when the teacher had commented, “white, just like a canvas. Black makes for a nice premade border too”, slightly creepily. 

Danny mumbles into the floor after a bit, “this feels all kinds of weird. Better than getting stuck in the ectoplasm tank again though”. That had been a _nightmare_ to get out of his hair; hence why his mom wouldn’t even go inside the thing in case of a similar mishap. 

Emilie laughs quietly, “your house is a nightmare”. Which seems to be enough to get everyone to add their two cents. 

“Hey, at least we got to paint with ectoplasm that one time because of it”.

“Personally I could do _without_ doing that again”.

“Ahhh come on Jasper, that stuff made for some wicked art”.

“Mine _bit me_. So no, I’ll pass”. 

“Wimp”. 

“Oh shit! Found some paler reds that don’t just go on straight-up pink”. 

“Language. If you need any colour we don’t have, just tell me and I’ll go fetch it quickly”.

“What do you think? Birds?”.

“Birds”. 

Danny chuckles, making a point not to move his chest though, he’d rather not get smacked on the head with a wet paintbrush today. “Birds? Really? Little uncreative to paint _feathers_ with _feathered_ things”. 

“Shut it, it’s mostly leaves”. 

“Be glad we’re not doing doves or _angels_ ”. 

Danny groans slightly, again with the angel thing. “If you did that, I’d flap a bunch before it dried and ruin _everything_ ”. 

“Don’t you _dare_ , Fenton”. 

“I’m just impressed you’re staying still”. Danny just grunts at that. 

Danny blinks a bit but pointedly stays still at a louder voice and someone patting his cheek, “wake up Fenton, you’re dry and your next class is over now”. Danny gives Remi’s happy face a disbelieving look, so she adds on, “don’t worry, I totally got you excused. That’s the power of a teacher's word for you”. She ruffles his hair before standing up. 

Danny gets up and yawns, gliding the wings down slowly and tilting his head over the stiffness and added heaviness. Whelp, now the wings felt even stranger. Remi practically skips in front of him and holds up a finger, “now hold on, you’ll get to look in a second. I _am_ grading this after all”. 

Danny quirks an eyebrow while she skips behind him with a camera and he dutifully spreads out his wings, which practically span the whole room. “And my grade?”. Art was practically keeping him afloat this year, and surprisingly gym. Math was going to be the full death of him though. 

Remi hums and Danny can hear the grin in her voice, “they did actually pull off the stained glass look, and a moving picture. You get full marks for actually staying still and offering up your body for abuse. Close them”. 

Danny dutifully closes the wings, “that makes me sound like a hooker”. Though he is absolutely ecstatic about the hundred percent, the group assignment was worth, like, a shit ton. Now he actually _can_ afford to fail his biology midterm. Which is probably going to happen regardless. 

Remi comes back around and shows him the two photos, with his wings closed it just looked like a bunch of fall leaves; oranges, reds, yellows, and browns. The stained glass look _is_ pretty wicked though. But with his wings all spread out the whole thing comes to life (ha). The leaves on the topmost level of the wings turns into the canopy of the tree with a short brown trunk. Falling leaves and bluebirds flying out of the tree painted on the rest of the feathers. It was shitting beautiful but would absolutely make him stick out even more. He pretty well had a ‘look at my wing-ed ass’ beacon shining on him now. Screw it, he don’t care. Pointing at the camera screen, “you better send me these”. 

She grins, “let the class use you in the art show and you’ve got a deal”. 

Danny rolls his eyes, the bartering was technically empty -it was _his_ body after all, and he could just get his friends to take a snap of this- but pretty well everyone humoured her ‘bartering’, “sure, why not. Will look great on my resume for my totally existent future modelling career”. 

She smirks and they shake hands, her speaking cheerily, “it’s a deal. Pleasure doin’ business with you”. 

Danny is honestly not surprised in the slightest to get the photos sent to him not even seconds after leaving the classroom. Followed by a loud, “holy shit!”, from an alternative kid that was clearly skipping his last few classes. The kid piping up again, “you art kids are insane, you know that?”. 

Danny smirks, “I’m a Fenton, insanity is a basic requirement”. And that was honestly probably the truth. The average person definitely couldn’t survive his house. Sam and Tuck didn’t even like staying the night, and they were crazy enough to hang around a half-ghost that frequently takes a shit-kicking and gets abducted. 

The kid shrugs and nods at him, while Danny heads off to a class he _didn’t_ (apparently) have permission to skip. 

* * *

Danny predictably spends the rest of his classes getting his wings either stared at or poked and prodded. Which with the added paint _did_ make sense. And apparently the head clouds are way less interesting, even if that’s probably more impossible. Most people don’t even _notice_ the eyes, which is honestly a bit concerning. Considering the eyes were the easiest way to spot if someone was overshadowed or not. You’d think more people would pay attention to eyes then, but no. 

Danny’s honestly not surprised that just before he manages to close his locker at the end of the day, Dash comes up, spins him around and tries to play ‘stuff the freak in the locker’. Danny, of course, just sticks his wings out a bit, effectively making doing that impossible, though seriously mentally hoping he didn’t just jack up his paint job. “Oh would you look at that, apparently I don’t fit”. 

Dash sneers at him, “more of you to hurt I guess”, and roughly scrunches up a bunch of the inner (and thusly unpainted) feathers. Which fine, doesn’t feel good. Like getting his hair yanked but worse actually. His pain and discomfort tolerance was too high to really be bothered though. 

Danny does, however, quirk an eyebrow when a book goes flying and smacks Dash over the head, getting him to drop Danny. Danny brushes off the wing before looking down at the book then to Christina, “did you seriously throw a bible?”. 

“He deserved a bit of God’s wrath”. 

Danny tilts his head, “well he did get a _face_ full of it. Why though? We’ve never even talked”. 

Dash scowls at them, shoves Danny's right wing back into the lockers and stocks off. While Christina looks to the wings and back to Danny’s face like the answer should be obvious why she did that; before her phone goes off and she rushes off out the school after grabbing up the book. 

Danny just blinks and looks to his friends, “I think people might be taking the ‘angel’ thing too far”.

Valerie tilts her head, “well, are you? The Fenton’s are weird enough to wind up with a kid that’s not really human”. 

Danny has to seriously resist saying ‘you have no idea’. Instead responding with, “if I am, then that’s news to me. So I’m going with no, no I’m not”.

Valerie chuckles, “whatever you say, angel boy. Though seriously, figure out what the shit your folks did. I could do _without_ ever seeing a wing-ed Jack”. All four comically shudder at that, because yeah, that was a kinda horrifying mental image. 

His dad already took up a ton of space as it was. His mom would look ridiculous frankly. Turning to one of the windows and tilting his head at his reflection, wiggling the wings a bit. He actually looked pretty decent. It _did_ kinda suit him. The messy feathery styled hair of his went well with the feathers and the clouds honestly didn’t look out of place. The wings had a sort of strongness to them and that meshed well with his muscle. Bending his left on to show the painting and smirking at that looking totally fine. Shaking his head and turning to glide after his friends. Sam rolling her eyes, “done admiring yourself?”. Danny flips her off with a smile. 


	3. A Big Ol’ Mouth Full Of Feathers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DannyMay 2020 Day 28: Diner

As soon as Valerie separates from the three to head her way home, his two friends immediately burst into chatter. 

“Alright dude, the fuck you doing with your folks?”.

“Do _not_ tell them about the anti-ecto thing. The last thing anyone needs is them using your freaking feathers in projects and experiments”.

“Honestly, don’t even let them sample any of this. Use art as an excuse”.

“Tucker, there is zero chance of them not sampling his shit”.

“Well he can try can’t he?”, pointing at Danny, “you know they’re going to want to examine you. Zone, they’re probably going to blame ghosts or some shit. Give them that nurse slip, prove you’ve been professionally checked out already. Might make them ease up”.

Sam rolls her eyes, “right, like they have _any_ faith in normal medicine. Especially with Danny’s ‘ecto-contamination’”. 

Danny holds up his hands, “Tuck’s idea is still good though, I was thinking of doing that anyway. And Sam, no shit I don’t want them knowing about the anti-ecto thing. They’ll _definitely_ blame ghosts then and the contamination thing. Both of which would be _awful_ ”, rubbing his neck, “none of this counts as a plan of attack though. This is definitely one of those times I wish Jazz was still here”. 

Tucker chuckles, “yeah, she is the reasonable one out of us”. Sam and Danny nodding readily. While they move into the back alleyways so Danny can just give up all pretences of walking, and floating on his back lazily in the air. Absolutely noting his two friends subtly admiring the paint job and rolling their eyes when he smirks at them. 

Sam shakes her head, “anyway, we really _should_ figure out what to do”. 

Tucker snorts, “oh yeah? And how? Predicting the Fenton’s is like predicting where ClockWork’s Clocktower Citadel will be. Practically impossible”. 

Danny shrugs, “I’m decent at both”.

“ClockWork doesn’t count for you, they _want_ you to find them”. Danny just shrugs at that. ClockWork was definitely his favourite ghost, and Danny was probably theirs honestly. 

Sam sighs and shakes her head, “okay, how about a bullet point of what not to do? No samples if possible and no mentioning anti-ecto, for starters”. 

Tucker points up at Danny, “don’t seem super used to this shit or being in the air if they demand seeing if these things work”, then poking one wing. 

Sam nods, “heck, for things you _should_ do, bump into something or knock something over with them. Just have _the worst_ spacial awareness of your life. Shouldn’t be hard for you”. 

“Hey”.

Tucker just ignores his protest, “don’t touch anything that’s supposed to react with ghosts. Obvious reasons are obvious. For another should, point out getting a damn good grade because of these things”. 

Danny tilts his head, because yeah, anything that resulted in him having a good grade made his folks very happy nowadays. He is absolutely blaming his shit grades for the past two-ish years for that. Okay, and his still shit grades. Just slightly less shit. 

Tucker snaps his fingers and points at Danny a bit aggressively, “hey with the wings now, you could totally give your dad a genuine all the way around hug. He’s _got_ to like that, right?”.

Danny snorts, wobbling in the air slightly, “it _has_ been a while. That is a seriously weird reason to like them though. Hugging privileges”, chuckling some, “meaning that would probably work”. Earning nods and chuckles. 

The three stare out of the alleyway at the giant neon FentonWorks sign. Danny returning to be somewhat near the ground while Tucker pats one of his wings, “whelp, time to go face the choir. Don’t wind up any more dead”.

Sam points at him, “or losing body parts for that matter”. 

Danny blinks and looks comically from one wing to another, “arguably, right, a little limb loss would solve most of my problems right now”. Sure, wouldn’t fix the cloud shit, but whatever. Not that he _would_ cut the wings off anyway, he kinda liked them at this point. The feathers actually felt pretty comfy and comforting against his skin if he’s honest. 

Both them roll their eyes at him before turning to walk off towards their respective houses, both giving him supportive pats as they go. Obviously they knew he wasn’t about to whack off his own limbs. He was weird, not masochistic. 

Danny shakes his head to himself and flaps the wings a little, mentally says ‘fuck it’, and floats through his front door like absolutely nothing weird has ever happened to him in his entire existence, ever. That facade predictably goes up in flames like Danny was covered in Napalm and his parents' eyes were an entire ton of lit matches, the second his mom sticks her head out the kitchen doorway to greet him. 

“Sweetie, dinner will be ready in... what’s on your back?”. 

Danny gives the incredibly stupid reply of, “nothing”. Tilting his head only to then give the asshole response of, “a mural actually”. 

Maddie blinks at him and parrots, “‘a mural’”, very disbelievingly. Danny can actively feel the embers of any chance of getting away scot-free being doused by a flamethrower. 

Danny gives a single nod and puts his backpack to the side, “yup”, Then Danny completes the trifecta by giving the dumbass response of, “it’s a nice mural”. Following that up with the dumbass decision to slightly twitch a wing. 

Jack waves at him, points at the wings and says, “didn’t know moving art was possible Danny-boy! Man how times have changed!”. Both Danny and Maddie give him endearing but pitying looks. 

And now Danny feels kinda bad that his dad might _actually_ think the wings are a mural. So he takes some pity on his dad, though being a slight asshole about it by deadpanning, “not a mural, dad. Well, there _is_ a mural. This is not _a_ mural. Just has a mural”. Danny stops talking purely because what he’s saying doesn’t even make much sense to _him_ anymore. 

“I... don’t think I follow Danny-boy”. 

Danny rubs his neck, “I don’t think even _I_ followed that”, making his folks laugh a little, which thankfully eases some of the tension. 

Maddie walks over and gives him a smile, “care to try again?”.

Danny just twists around, making a damn point to keep the freaking wings still, to effectively show off his paint job. Pointedly not shivering from the supremely weird feeling of his mom running her fingers over his feathers/the paint. “Wow Danny, it’s very pretty but why is it on you and I’m pretty sure this is more than just a piece of art”. Danny just lets her grab his right wing and fold it out a bit, this was going to happen anyway, no point trying to fight it. Not that Danny didn’t usually fight losing battles without actually losing. 

He totally can’t help his back muscles tensing up when she touches where the wings connect to his back though, his feathers fluffing out a bit in response; which tickles a little, fucking feathers man. 

Danny decides to preempt her, “I feel totally fine, peachy. Nurse even gave me a good looking, said I was fine, if a bit weird”. Arguably doing that was one of his not dumb ideas, earn trust by being forthcoming with information. His mom, of course, still gives him a disbelieving stare that’s borderlining on a glare. So he holds up the blue slip for proof, making her ease up on said glare.

Then she, slightly to Danny’s surprise, actually _notices_ his eyes, leaning towards his face and pulling down at his eyelids. Danny just blurts out, “nurse said just a pigmentation mutation thing”. 

His mom doesn’t look pleased about that, so Danny’s probably fucking this up. Maybe. Hopefully not. But probably. “The white is _moving_ , sweetie. I think it’s much more likely the bits of ectoplasm in your eyes bonded to some of your pigmentation”, her humming and nodding to herself, “bleaching it due to ectoplasms corrosive attributes and moving the bleached parts along with the ectoplasm as it flows across the surface”. 

Danny kinda hates how much sense that makes and the fact that that’s probably actually correct. His folks were bigoted scientists, not bad ones. Danny just shrugs exaggeratedly when she pushes one of the clouds around his head, making them spin a bit faster. The only explanation he can even give for that is to say that clouds just really like him. Ghost shit didn’t exactly always make sense. 

Jack laughs heartily and practically bounds over, giving the clouds a good spin. Which his mom thankfully finds pretty funny. Hooray for easing even more tension. 

Maddie shakes her head and looks to the kitchen as the stove beeps, “alright, food’s ready”, looking back to Danny and eyeballing the wings a little, “it’s chicken wings”.

Danny snorts, “of course it is”, and follows his folks into the kitchen. Where Danny has the once again wonderful experience of manoeuvring the wings around a chair just so he can freaking sit down; folding his legs to be cross-legged and floating a bit more than he can normally, once he actually pulls off the task of getting into the chair. It is exactly as awkward as it was at school. He has no idea if his mom’s scrunched up facial expression is because of second-hand embarrassment or amusement, while she plates everyone’s food. Or maybe it was the fact that she hadn’t seen him majorly move the wings yet. It was probably that and he’s dumbass for not thinking of that first. 

Danny can’t help laughing at said chicken wings being covered in some red sauce, food imitating art. Literally. Speaking very smugly, “I think the red on mine looks better, but less edible”.

His dad chuckles, “and I think even I would have a hard time eating wings that big”. Danny twitches a wing to show off the size slightly and predictably it goes wrong, or technically right, with him immediately knocking over a chair. 

Danny makes a very dramatic annoyed yet disappointed face down at the chair, while his mom giggles into her hand a little. His dad shakes his head with a chuckle, “just how many things have you knocked over?”.

“Like, two people. A desk. Myself”. Making both of them laugh. Though he’s firmly leaving out taking out an _entire tree._

His mom sighing after a bit and pushing around her peas before folding her arms on the table and leaning forward, “now being serious, how long have you had all of _this_?”. 

Danny shrugs and probably fails at making that not look awkward, “woke up with it all. But well... you guys were already in the lab and skipping school was probably not a good idea. Which yeah, totally right on”, gesturing a thumb at the wings, “got _full marks_ for the paint job”. His dad absolutely beams over that while Danny tries to compensate for the awkwardness by rather aggressively trying to tip the chair back upright with a wing and foot. Which is absolutely harder than it looks. 

Maddie hums, “well it _is_ really well done”, then frowns slightly, “you still should have got us. What if some ghost did this? The clouds around your head are too strange to not be ghosts. And with how long it’s been, none of this is likely reversible”. 

Danny puts a hand to his chest, feeling some of the new muscle there, “mom, practically the first thing the nurse said is that cutting the wings off would be a bad idea, and I saw her nearly first thing. And I’ve kinda got new muscles for them”. Flicking his eyes up at a cloud and following its lazy circling of his head with his eyes, “though yeah, clouds got no normal rational explanation to my knowledge or the nurses”. 

His dad slaps the table looking excited before deflating, “yeah I got nothing”. Making Danny chuckle while stuffing more chicken in his mouth; which he chokes on mildly but just makes shit intangible instead of hacking it up. 

His mom scrunches up her face before shaking her head and giving him a slightly sympathetic look. Which he waves off, “eh the world’s nonsense sometimes. I’m fine. It’s not like I don’t like clouds”. 

“Well we’re still taking samples sweetie. It’s better to know. And these ‘new muscles’, they’re not uncomfortable, are they?”. 

Jack butting in with, “and _how_ did you not notice all this forming? You are not a hard sleeper”. 

Danny shrugs at that, he had no clue himself really. You’d think developing new limbs and muscle would be pretty darn painful. “I didn’t even notice them till I looked in the mirror. Totally blamed tiredness for that. Didn’t think anything of the feather feeling or weight”, sure the weight thing was because no gravity equalled no weight, but he digresses, “could I ask you don’t mess up the paint job? It’s pretty cool actually. Wonder how long it’ll last. And I honestly don’t notice the muscles, only did because of really paying attention”. Both of them nod, obviously happy with that answer. 

Maddie stabs her last few peas with her folk, “do you think you could point them out? Once you’re done eating of course”.

His dad adding in before Danny even has a chance to respond, though he does give his mom a nod. “Will you need help getting out of the shirt? No way _that_ could be easy!”. Making Danny mentally scowl, _again_ the shirt thing was an issue. And of course his folks were talking like this was absolutely happening, meaning it was. Hooray for samples! NOT. 

Danny rubs his neck a bit exaggeratedly, “I haven’t even _tried_ getting my top off, so no idea”. Which makes his dad look comically excited. Ancients the universe loved to make him suffer. Whatever. Fuck it. Looking like an absolute fucking dumbass and probably moving his wings around like a drowning fish will probably make him look less used to this shit. Which is arguably a good thing. 

Maddie smiles at Jack before getting up and putting away plates, while Danny had been seriously tempted to just eat as slowly as possible to avoid the issue, which Jazz would totally say is unhealthy or some shit, but that really wouldn’t do him any good. So he very haphazardly gets out of his chair, knocking another over entirely. His dad speaking while picking up said chair with a laugh, “probably be easiest with the wings extended! Just pull it over you head and arms, then down the wings!”. Maddie giving him an agreeing nod. 

Danny blinks and looks around, sure that would work but again, wings were _huge_ , the kitchen was not. “Totally not enough room in here for that”, shrugging exaggeratedly at their roasted eyebrows, “Tetslaff’s pretty weird and just decided I was doing wing stuff instead of running”. 

His dad goes comically wide-eyed, “oh! You can _fly_?!?”, then turning to Maddie, “Mads! He could totally chase after ghosts with that! No more ghosts having the aerial advantage against us Fenton’s!”, and fist pumps. Danny was not expecting that in the slightest. Might be because being able to fly/float was so commonplace for him that it just never even crossed his mind. And he’d be _pissed_ if he had wings but couldn’t use them to actually fly. That would be like the universe actively spitting in his face. Ancients, he’d be _furious_. 

His mom sighs and shakes her head, “Danny’s not a hunter dear, remember? And he is not to be flying after ghosts. The Red Huntress does that and we’ve all seen just how often she gets knocked out of the air”. 

Jack waves her off, “but these are attached to him, her hoverboard clearly isn’t”. Danny resists pointing out that that is wrong. Val’s entire suit was part of her, hoverboard included. 

“A board has to be easier than new limbs, Jack”. 

Jack just waves her off again, “oh he’ll learn! Not like Danny-boy would mind adding wings into his workout regime!”, and smacks Danny on the stomach, which Danny doesn’t budge an inch from thusly only really proving his dad’s point. 

“She has a full body armoured suit”.

“We can just build him one! Now there’s an idea!”, Jack finishes with a very large eager grin. Meaning Danny seriously has to talk his dad down or he’s _actually_ going to get armour and pushed at ghost hunting again. 

Danny crushes his dad’s hopes like an asshole, “still don’t want to be a ghost hunter, dad. And these being attached to me also means there’s more of me to get hurt, soooooo”. Making both of them grimace, realising he’s right. And it’s not like Dash hadn’t already figured that particular fact out. 

Jack rubs his neck, “right, sorry Danny-boy”, he looks a little bummed so Danny takes this chance to try the wing hugging thing. Obviously easily reaching all the way around, which fine, was super duper weird. Stepping back a little, his mom looks pleasantly stunned and his dad is absolutely beaming. His dad grabbing both his wings gently, "I love them", then looking at the clouds and poking one, “can you feel these too?”. Danny moving the wings back to his back as his dad lets go of them, Tuck was absolutely correct; odd.

Danny shakes his head, “naw”, it would be totally illogical if he could. Moving to be in the kitchen doorway, he’d like to get this shit over with. Spreading the wings backwards and pulling the tank top over his head, smirking very shit-eatingly at his folks going wide-eyed over the length/size of the bastards. Him feeling the feathers brushing up against the far living room wall. 

Maddie blinks, “how are you not falling over? They can’t be light”. The answer was defying gravity, but he can’t tell her that. 

Danny shrugs, “got used to it”. Both of them shake their heads disbelievingly but pull off his shirt for him; having to scrunch up the feathers at points. Folding his wings back up afterwards -that was surprisingly painless- which in typical fashion results in nearly plowing his dad over with one. His dad ducking just in time and laughing when Danny apologises. 

His mom moving up and poking his back, around abouts where he’s sure he’s got some new muscle going on. So guess it’s a bit obvious. No clue if that’s cool or annoying. His mom spending a bit just moving around the wing and prodding the muscle, until she decides she’s satisfied and steps back while yanking out one of his inner unpainted feathers. Danny makes a point to say, “ow”, just to be a bit of an asshole. His mom expectantly shaking her head with a slight smile, well aware of his bullshit. 

“Well they definitely _are_ integrated into you. How the muscle already matches the rest of your muscle is more than a little unusual. But it being physical means it’s not spectral or ghostly”. 

Danny is actively cackling in his head. He already knew from Vlad that was bull shit. Simply his human side adapting to his ghostly shit. Swinging his legs in the air a little just for mental emphasis. But hey! at least he doesn’t have to worry about his folks going ghost crazy on his ass because of this. Though remembering something and tilting his head, “so wings not ghost, but clouds yes ghost?”. 

Jack sticks a finger in the air, “maybe it’s not ghost energy at all! But a different kind of energy!”. 

Danny feels some major apprehension in saying, “do continue”, like he doesn’t know what bullshit his dad’s going to say. 

“Holy energy! You know, like angels! Ghosts are obviously real, so why not them!”. 

Danny groans very overly dramatically and bangs his face into the wall. Muttering, “does it always have to be angels? If I was heaven-sent I think I would know. That seems like something worth remembering”. The fact that his mom makes a considering hum makes him mentally groan. 

His mom gives him an obviously comforting pat on the back, then smoothing out some of his feathers while he straightens himself out. Apparently deciding he was a freaking angel made her totally cool with the wing situation, “who knows sweetie, maybe you were made not to remember. Or maybe you formed here on Earth of your own accord. It _does_ make sense though”. Danny gives her a look that’s equal parts exasperated pain and apathetic annoyance, so she continues with the ‘trying to be comforting’ thing, “we’re family all the same of course. You have always been a bit odd and it explains you not being phased by this”. 

His dad jumps in then, “and when I spun the clouds they totally looked like a halo!”, spinning Danny’s clouds for emphasis and clapping him on the back hard, which he again doesn’t move with, “your holy-energy must make you immune or tolerant to ecto-energy too! Explains your strange ecto-contamination! Oh! Maybe your body just naturally syphons all the nasty ecto-energy out of the air! Effectively purifying the town and people!”. 

This is another thing Danny’s not sure if he should go along with. Because on one hand, it explained away basically every ghostly thing about him ever, short of actually transforming into a ghost. On the other hand, his parents might just try to use him to ‘purify’ things and places. On one wing, it meant they were totally going to support his new oddness and not try to remove things, his paranoia would thank him forever. On the other wing, if he went with this then the whole ‘angel’ thing was going to basically be considered fact and who knows what sort of craziness that would cause him. Oh whatever, it’s not like he even _could_ convince his dad otherwise once the guy really set his mind to something. Without making him insanely depressed anyways. Which just no. So he shrugs, “eh I don’t really buy it but who knows, certainly not me”, that was obviously a total fucking lie. 

His dad laughs and pats his wing a bit hard, “why would you! It’s insane! But that works for a Fenton. Heck! That’s probably why you were born into our insane family rather than some other family!”.

Maddie smiles sweetly and nods a little, ruffling his hair, “and we’re glad to have you. Still giving you a full once over before bed though mister. But you think you feel up for showing off?”. 

Jack butting in with, “the more you use ‘em the better you’ll be! Bet you could totally out fly some ghost!”. 

Danny smirks and replies with a very cheeky, “oh absolutely”, which really he could. He was goddamn fast in the air. And fine damnit, now he’s curious which is faster: floating or flying. He’d think the lack of gravity would automatically make floating the winner, but if he caught the air right he should be able to fly _super duper fast_ with a single good flap. Sure he could out float basically every bird but his wingspan was a shit ton bigger; that had to count for something right? 

His mom gestures to the door to the backyard, clearly assuming his ‘obviously’ was also agreeing to show them his barely-there wing skills. Eh, he walked himself right into this one. So he shrugs, throws a pained longing glance at his tank top though absolutely deciding it wasn’t worth the effort of trying to get it on without intangibility, then floats over the floor to follow his folks outside. Mentally laughing over his dad bounding around like an excited kid. 

They sit on the steps and smile encouraging, or over-enthusiastically in his dad’s case, while he pretty much goes further from the house and faces them; this is a thousand times more weird and awkward than gym. He feels super judged but also just doesn’t really give a shit. Though he could do without face planting into the dirt, he has at least an ounce of pride. That, and he'd prefer to be and stay in the air always. Wings or gravity-defying. Speaking of which -or thinking really- he switches that power off, only wobbling slightly. 

Looking up, the sun was setting, awesome. Night flying was _the best_. Even if he might be biased because of the stars. Fuck anyone who disagrees though. Looking back to his folks and noting his mom actually looked a little worried now, her commenting, “don’t go too high okay? You should practice first”. 

Danny chuckles and nods, “no worries, I totally don’t have a death wash”. Even if he did, he already achieved it. _And_ got his wish of reaching the stars too to boot. Score one for dying. Then stretching out his wings and gives small gentle flaps because he does _not_ want to go flying like a rocket again. Which results in him taking a few flaps to find the right strength to actually get him off the ground. Smirking and doing jazz hands while wobbling horribly but generally staying in place in the air. It was kinda weird that the wings made noise, a flapping noise obviously, but still. Floating was totally soundless, which really made it easier to enjoy the sky, the flapping noises were definitely a little distracting. Oh and the sound of air rushing past him, that too. Didn’t have that while floating, or right now really cause he’s staying generally in one spot. 

His folks both beam at him, though his mom giggles into her hand, “you definitely need more practice, sweetie”. 

Danny rolls his eyes exaggeratedly, “I don’t think they’re really meant for staying in one spot, mom”. 

His dad throws his hands out to the side excitedly, “then go in a circle!”. Danny mumbling to himself sarcastically, “what am I? a show pony?”, before moving to fly around a little, even if the backyard’s small so there’s not really much room; which really only made his jerky flying more jerky. Then promptly going wide-eyed and tumbling out of the air when he sees the wings just _change colour_. What the _fuck_???

Pushing himself up off the ground with his hands, holding a wing out in front of his face and quirking an eyebrow at it in deep confusion. Once white feathers with black tipping were now a rich black peppered with white spots. His parents rushing over. 

“You okay sweetie? Has this not happened before?”.

“Didn’t hit nothing too hard?”. 

Danny bends the wing to look over the painting, it’s unfortunately a little scratched up and looks darker so clearly all of the feathers changed colour. Mmm ‘kay, the Zone just happened and why? Looking up to his folks and shaking his head at his mom, “no I’ve never changed freaking colours. I have no idea what’s going on”, defying gravity to easily get up. 

Jack scratches his head and grabs Danny’s right wing to inspect it. Eventually shrugging at him, obviously equally confused. Danny following his mom with his eyes as she walks around to see if maybe he bumped something that reacted with him. While his dad pokes his clouds, drawing his attention toward them, “your clouds are dark too”. Danny glancing up and realising he’s totally right. So he whips out his phone to check his eyes. Two outta three changing means number three probably did too. And yup, instead of blue cloudy eyes he had black starry? eyes. 

Danny tilts his head and looks up to the sky, smacking his forehead because he was a dumbass. Obvious answer was obvious. It was _night_ now. His body was literally reflecting the time of day. Waving his hand around dismissively towards his mom while still looking up, “never mind, think I just figured it out. It’s night time. Not day time”. 

Both of them tilt their heads at him before his mom nods with a small relived smile and his dad claps his hands together, “so smart!”. Making Danny chuckle. 

Arguably this was a good thing, White _did_ glow under moonlight after all. The currently black wings would blend in _way_ better. Shaking his head, he decides to give the whole ‘flying and not getting a face full of dirt’ thing another shot; his folks happily watching all the while. 

**End?**


	4. The Feathered And The Fanged

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny says ‘not today Satan’ as a wild Vlad appears to bear witness to Danny’s winged ass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ectober 2020 Day 31: Free Day

To say Danny had been a bit tired after his parents giving him a full check over would be an understatement. They literally wanted to see every single little way his wings could move and how each and every muscle reacted to said movement. If he had any reflexes; which hint, he totally did. Hitting the bends of his wings in the right spots would cause them to kick out just like a knee. And he had a spot on his back that would make his feathers fluff out. After all that he just didn’t want his wings messed with anymore, oh and to sleep, thank you very much. Which his folks were perfectly content to let him do on the couch. Which promptly led to the personal discovery that wings were freaking _awesome_ blankets. 

Which all also led to this wonderful situation of walking up to one Vlad Masters looking down on him with a quirked eyebrow. Danny elects to not even dignify the man with a response instead he sits up, yawns exaggeratedly, stretches out his arms, and angles himself in just the right way to punt Vlad out the door via a nice big wing stretch. Multitasking, it truly is a wonderful skill. Truly. 

Vlad is, of course, grumbling and scowling as he comes back in. “Must you act so ill-behaved, Daniel”. 

Danny smirks, “do I look like I care what Satan thinks?”, and only smirks more at Vlad’s sigh and head shake. 

Danny only vaguely pretends to be paying attention to Vlad as he gets himself some coffee. Vlad sounding almost genuinely curious, not that vampire-ass was ever genuinely genuine about anything, “I see your parents’ aren’t up yet”. 

Danny tosses a cup full at Vlad, evil he may be but everyone needs a ‘wake me the fuck up and allow me to suffer through this bullshit’ coffee. “Everyone was up late, had some _limby_ business to get up to. Far more legal than what qualifies as business to you”.

“Yes because the government wouldn’t find your developments questionable at best”. Danny actually chuckles at that, because truth. The government would _love_ to go all creepy morally questionable evil scientist on his feathered ass. Sure they’d probably have to go through some whacky legal hoops to do it, like classifying him as not human or some shit, but he wouldn’t put it past them to try. 

Danny laughs, “like you’re any better vampy”.

Vlad shakes his head, looking Danny over as he turns around, “I’m far less unnatural. Do you not even have the decency to put on a shirt? You have a guest you know”. 

Danny smirks, “but it’s _you_?”. Shrugging, very content with having filled up his ‘annoy the heck out of Vlad’ quota so early in the day. Today must really like him. “My shirt’s somewhere on the floor”. 

Danny grins like an idiot when Vlad lifts up the offending tank top with as few fingers as physically possible, “you mean this _thing_?”, huffing, “unacceptable, you can hardly be running around in a probable biohazard”.

“Hey”. Vlad predictably ignores him and incarnates his shirt. Like an asshole. “I liked that shirt you know”.

“Then buy a new one that isn’t covered in questionable stains that even _I_ can’t identify”. Danny’s pretty sure that Vlad’s desired response wasn’t for him to feel proud. But that’s sure as shit what he’s feeling. 

Danny grins at him a bit meanly, sounding painfully sarcastic while his ears twitch a little picking up on at least his dad getting up, “now what is this? Is _the_ Vladimir Masters offering to take me shopping? And entirely on his dime? Oh now how could I possibly say no?”. That smile only getting more mean and smug when his dad sticks his head down the stairs and half-shouts, “that’s a great idea, Vladdie!”, bounding all the way down the stairs and moving to clap Danny on the shoulder under the wing, “no way Danny-boy can wear any of his t-shirts, sweaters, or hoodies with the wings!”. 

Vlad quirks an eyebrow, speaking with very obvious venom to his voice; well obvious to anyone _other_ than Jack, “certainly not. I’m _truly_ surprised you haven’t blown them off him yet”. 

Jack actually looks shocked by that, “what!?! Oh of course not! I’m sure heaven wouldn’t like that very much! Or Danny-boy!”, tilting his head and chuckling, “if heaven is where angels come from”. 

Danny grins wide enough to hurt when Vlad chokes a little and spits out a mouthful of coffee, going wide-eyed all the while. Checkmate Vlad, whatcha gonna do now? “Excuse me?”. Danny’s almost impressed Vlad doesn’t sound nearly as baffled as he definitely has to be. 

Everyone looking to Maddie as she comes down, scowling at Vlad for only a second before smiling at Danny, speaking as she ruffles Danny’s hair up, “it’s really all that makes sense. He just finally developed enough holy energy to form his wings and halo”. His dad excitedly flicking the clouds to make them spin around, “and! It explains his ecto-contamination! Angels are purifying after all! So he’s just purifying the town!”, Jack nods to himself and puts his hands on his hips, “the town certainly needs it!”. 

Danny sighs, still grinning a bit, “dad, I’m not a walking filter”. Vlad just looks to him, a clear expression of ‘how in the name of all the Ancients did you pull this off?’ and ‘do they _seriously_ believe that line of bullshit?’. 

Jack laughs, “a walking, or flying, dehumidifier but for ectoplasm would be a better comparison!”, which Danny rolls his eyes at a bit fondly. 

Maddie smiles and nods a little before speaking somewhat seriously at Danny, “though you really do need a new wardrobe. I doubt you have many tank tops”. 

Danny grumbles with fake annoyance, “well I have one less that’s for sure”. Which Vlad smirks slightly over. While Maddie looks to Vlad, “and while I don’t know why _you_ would offer to take Danny shopping, we certainly haven’t budgeted for it”, sighing like this is almost painful for her, “so we’ll accept the offer”. 

Vlad grins immediately and Danny is mentally smacking himself for being a serious dumbass. Of course shit like this would backfire on him. That is _exactly_ his kind of luck. Hopefully, this won’t go horribly. Maybe. Probably though. This is Vlad he’s talking -thinking- about here. “Why Maddie dear, it brings me nothing but joy to help young Daniel out in times of need”. 

Danny gives the most pained and sarcastic, “yay”, he can muster. Which earns him one incredibly smug smile from Vlad. However, Danny is the one grinning meanly when his dad announced that they will, in fact, be taking the GAV _and_ that he’s driving. Since Vlad immediately looked like what’s left of his life just flashed before his eyes. 

Vlad, in an almost painfully obvious attempt to stall, holds up a finger, “well, I think Daniel here should acquire _suitable_ -”, he glares at the ash on the floor as an obvious attempt at emphasis, Danny just rolls his eyes, “-attire. Now luckily, I just so happened to plan for such a predicament”. 

His mom gives an impressively dry, “really”, as her only response to that. Which Vlad, of course, completely ignores, instead simply nodding curtly and promptly disappearing out the front door he had not too long ago been tossed out of via Danny’s well-aimed wing. Danny’s going to cherish having successfully done that. 

Vlad returns almost suspiciously fast, telling Danny that the man had very explicitly planned for this. Which means the son of a corpse probably would have ruined his -still one hundred percent wearable, fuck you- shirt anyway. Danny eyes the purple velvet? fucking Ancients, vest draped over Vlad’s arm. Which he absolutely knows he can’t put on his damn self with his folks here and his dad would absolutely make him wear the ‘gift’ from dear old godfather Vladdie. Curse his luck. His dad as it is looks excitedly... excited. 

“Smart thinking V-man! And it has buttons too!”, looking to Danny, “which would certainly be easier to get on. If you got that tank top on, then you’ll definitely have no trouble with this”. 

Vlad, surprising no one but his dad, waves him off, “nonsense. Vests of quality are best shown how to be worn by experienced hands”. Making Danny mutter a very quiet, “fuck you and your anterior motives”, at him. Which very obviously just makes Vlad smirk. 

Danny just sighs and swallows what little of his pride he actually actively has and turns around to let the fucking prick ahem he means Vlad slide it over his wings. But he does snap his wings open to _full_ length rather aggressively and nearly knocks Vlad over. He would have, if the man’s reflexes weren’t on point. 

Vlad blinks and shakes his head, “there are times where I do believe you are more dramatic than even I. Which is no small feat, Daniel, I would know”. Danny will absolutely take that compliment. Regardless Vlad does slip the vest over his wings, Danny rolling his eyes over definitely being able to feel that the prick is examining them as he goes. Danny eventually having to put his arms back after way longer that this should have taken to get the vest over his arms, Vlad was _clearly_ drawing this shit out. Why did he let him do this again? And why didn’t he make sure the local vampire stayed out after he punted him out. 

If Danny wasn’t in front of his folks he absolutely would be smacking Vlad’s hands off him or commenting _very_ heavily on the major creep factor of this being perfectly fitted. And Vlad clearly knows this, based on the stupid smirk anyway, as he did up the buttons with precision. Though Vlad smoothing the vest out afterwards was seriously pushing it, and absolutely earned the surprise fingernail-sized ecto-beam straight to the knee. Take that you vampiric twat. Vlad scowls at him without missing a beat. 

* * *

By the time they get to the mall, Vlad is just barely managing to not look frazzled. With the man, of course, smoothing out his suit as they hop out to cover up his slightly rattled nerves. He does make a point to mutter just loud enough for Danny to hear, “I know I have said this before, but your father drives like he is seeking death. Which I must say, there are far easier was to achieve”. 

Danny snorts, whisper-snarking back, “what? Like offering his corpse up to you willingly? Maybe on a nice cheese platter?”.

Which Vlad actually has the audacity to give a confident, “yes”, in response to. Pompous ass. 

Danny decidedly ignoring -and honestly barely noticing. It was hard to notice these kinds of things when you were the entire town’s certified freak and resident weirdass- all the staring and even pointing he’s getting, which is mostly over the wings. Not entirely, just mostly. Which is weird, freaking wings deserve way more attention and finger-pointing than the fact that he, Danny Fenton, was in a fucking velvet vest and with the freaking mayor; who also just so happens to be bloody stinking rich. This town has issues. So many issues. Probably every issue. Expect gangs. Wait, has there _ever_ been gangs in Amity? Tilting his head, “I wonder, do you think Amity has ever had gangs?”. 

Vlad rolls his eyes and gives an oddly bitter, “of course, every town has one or two, Daniel”.

Jack grins, “actually no!”. Both halfas looking at him disbelievingly. Which gets Maddie to explain, “we _may_ have mistaken a few trouble makers for ghosts and covered them in goop”. 

Danny can’t help laughing at that, “you know?!? That surprisingly makes sense as a crime deterrent!”, and laughs a little more. Vlad just looks at his folks like they were _both_ slightly nuts. Everyone’s attention gets grabbed by who Danny’s sure is one of the middle school girls running up and holding out a book. Which Danny has some serious ominous feelings over where, exactly, this was going. So he’s honestly not surprised when she blurts out, “could you sign my bible”. Vlad turns to the side and actually looks to be trying not to wheeze in disbelief. 

Danny just blinks down at her, “you’re asking me that like I know god personally”. 

She gives the single most innocent, “you don’t?”, he thinks is possible. 

Danny lowkey doesn’t want to crush her tiny little spirts but come the fuck on, dear Ancients. “... no. No I do not. Sorry?”. 

She only pouts for a second before shoving the bible at him slightly more. Cheeks puffed out, “still. Angel’s an angel”.

Danny tries to make his sigh not seem too pained, it is truly very pained though. What’s next? Were priests going to ask him to speak at services? Or was a church going to start up around him? Oh! Maybe he’d wind up with someone ‘reinterpreting’ the bible to find references to him. That of course would totally escalate into him being on prayer beads and crucifixes. Which was a little on the nose considering his rather self-sacrificial ‘job’. Which also made it kind of funny. Was he gonna wind up an important part of what was basically the most dominating religion ever with a ridiculously sketch history? Eh, he’s probably totally jinxing himself here. “Aright kid”, at least being asked for autographs wasn’t actually uncommon for him, “where you want it?”, looking to his family... and Vlad, “anyone got a pen?”. 

Vlad smirks at him, “theres one in your pocket, I do believe”, meaning Vlad put one there. 

Danny squints at him for a solid minute, “go back to Hell, Satan. No one loves you except Bapho _mew_ ”. 

“That is hardly my cat's name, Daniel”. 

Danny just rolls his eyes as he fishes out the pen that absolutely _is_ in his pocket. Though snickering a bit when he noticed the look that borders on bloody murder that the girl is throwing Vlad’s way. Like she was taking Danny’s petty insult genuinely. Speaking while taking the bible, “he’s not literally the Devil, he’s just cold-hearted enough to seem at least closely related”, promptly signing the inside cover and having to make a damn point to not put down ‘Phantom’. And making the ‘y’ all fancy like by putting little doodle wings coming off the curved end. At least she seems happy with it, giggling after looking at it and running off while waving back at him. Danny chuckles over her still throwing Vlad a dirty look. 

Danny looks to Vlad, “wow, it’s like she thinks you murdered Christ. Wonder why that is”. Vlad gives him a definitely unamused look. 

Danny gets yoinked out of his mild pissing match with his archenemy by his dad grabbing his arm and pointing at their go-to fashion stop. Which no. Danny is _not_ wearing spandex. Especially considering getting a loose tank top on and off was already difficult without intangibility. “No happening, dad. In fact, never happening”, which yes was him actively crushing his dad’s dreams just a little more. But seriously. Nope. He has _some_ shame and pride. It is still intact, it’s honestly a miracle. 

Jack sags, “awww”, but that poutiness barely lasts a second before he’s perked right back up, pointing and heading off to the local ‘teen’ hip/popular fashion store. Which yeah, he usually bought jeans from there. Shirts? Ha, _no_. He didn’t feel like going broke for some name brand shirt that’s no different than what he can get from the discount store. At one time he preferred the local used store, but most people’s clothing never lasted long enough to make it to there in one piece; unless it was truly _hideous_. Had tons of shoes though, which saved his wallet more than he liked to admit. He was stupid hard on shoes. 

Danny shakes his head at Vlad holding up a DC tank top, “that’s ugly. I’m not wearing something just because it’s got some brand name bullshit on it”. 

Vlad rolls his eyes, “brand names say a lot about your worth and self, Daniel. Though I hardly expect you to know that. Mind you, if you try for Ed Hardy, we will be having _words_ ”. 

Danny scrunches up his face, “do you think I’m fucking _blind_?”. Even in a pinch, Sam wouldn’t stoop to that. She’d show up in garbage bags saying something about dressing sustainably and recycling first. 

“Sometimes I wonder”. Danny throws a t-shirt directly at his face. Though fine, his fashion style could suitably be called dumpster-chic most days. 

Hovering to wander off to where his dad is also grabbing up a really awful fashion disaster, some two-toned plaid thing that’s probably marketed as ‘vintage western’ or something. “Dad no. I’m not the fashionista version of a lumberjack. Or queer enough to have an ingrained love of plaid. And even if I was, I _still_ wouldn’t pick that”. His dad doesn’t even look offended at that, which means he likely agrees. 

Danny watches him then pick up a ‘it’s not gay if he’s dead’ shirt with his dad looking almost in shock, making Danny actually have to float to sit down because he’s laughing so hard. Vlad glancing over and quirking an eyebrow, “now I feel rather reminded why I don’t shop at these sorts of stores”.

“Whatever boomer!”. 

“I am not a boomer, you know this Daniel”.

“Sure thing, boomer”. Vlad smartly keeps his mouth shut this time, obviously looking to avoid more of Danny’s bullshit. 

Maddie smiles at Danny but shakes her head at the shirt, “I will never understand teens love of that spook”. 

Danny snickers while standing up, “well some sure think he’s got the personality and behaviour of a real _angel_. And the _fly_ by the cuff ways of his are ‘manly’ or whatever to the jocks”. Vlad snorts at that from halfway across the store in the more ‘business casual’ section. Ha. That’s not happening either. Vampire-ass would have to _literally_ kiss his ass to get him into that. Danny would take high-class professional professional over ‘business casual’ any day. 

Though the patchwork button down with the elbows and shoulders fashionably cut out isn’t horrible, Danny’s still not wearing that on principle alone. So Danny shouts, “NOT TODAY SATAN!”, loud enough to make the guy jerk and get the entire store's attention. Vlad physically sighs and turns to glare at him. Danny raises a wing over his face in a bastardised version of ‘talk to the hand’ before Vlad can say jack shit. 

His mom finally gives him a little light in the darkness of ‘preppy but trying to seem edgy’ fashion, holding up a little ‘evil nasa’ tank top with the bottom all shredded, “okay yes, we’re finally getting somewhere here. Nice”. 

Vlad sighs exasperatedly as he rejoins them, “I see no point in that, if you wanted to look like you got attacked you could simply go out and get attacked. Shred it yourself”,

Danny looks to him, “you know what else I could shred”, and looks him up and down like that was a threat to every single piece of clothing he owned. 

“I would like to see you try”.

“Is that a challenge”.

“Yes”.

Danny turns to his mom, “hey mom, you got a bazooka handy?”. She grins maliciously, “why yes I think I do”. Vlad looks like he has just been gravely wounded. The sales lady looks over to them, “for my sanity, please don’t. I’ve been awake for forty-nine hours”. 

Danny chuckles, grabbing up the few tank tops that seemed suitable, the lady leading the four of them over to the dressing rooms, “personal record?”.

“I wish”.

Danny chuckles, “I feel ya. I’d offer a Death-spresso, but I think I’m the only one allowed to drink those and that’s only because I proved that shit wouldn’t kill me”.

“I welcome death”. 

Danny actually wheezes at that as he loads up the dressing room, “mood”, then struggles into the probably too small dressing room. Having to cram his wings around, which holy shit thank everything he could use intangibility because he seriously _could not_ pull literally _anything_ over his arms _or_ wings right now. Hell getting his wings remotely unfolded was straight-up not happening. 

Stepping out to pose, “it’s decided, dressing rooms are the devil”. His dad laughs loudly at that.

Thankfully they wind up walking out with all of the tops -excluding an orange one that he’s positive his dad grabbed purely because it was orange- and with nothing getting blown up! Though Danny sighs when Vlad beelines for the ‘fancy rich asshole’ store that Sam’s parents’ bragged about shopping at. Mostly her mom. Knowing his luck he’ll run into her. In fact, that is _emphatically_ what is going to happen. 

Aaaaaannnnnnnd that’s exactlaly what happened. Yay. Spotting her as he’s standing in the dress-shirt section while wondering how the heck Vlad thinks they’re going to find _anything_ he can wear here. Lovely. Her, of course, noticing him. Because how the Zone wouldn’t she? He _had wings._ And immediately making a beeline for him. Eh, this might as well happen. 

She stops next to him and folds her hands over her waist, “excuse my interruption, I just wanted to apologise for certain past _behaviours_ ”. 

Danny blinks at the lady with oversized earnings and a bubblegum pink sundress, “what?”. 

She shifts almost like this is physically painful for her to do, telling Danny she so totally doesn’t _actually_ want to apologise but thinks she has to. “Me and my husband's treatment of you has likely interrupted your duties. So I am apologising. I realise things work in mysterious ways and that maybe Samatha was a test, with you to supervise”. 

Danny groans and mutters to himself, “oh god fuck”, and shakes his head because he is so not dealing with this from ‘I’ll put a restraining order on you’ Mrs. Manson. “Sam’s not some test for you to struggle through. If anything, she had to struggle through _you_ ”.

She never gets a chance to respond to that beyond looking overly offended as Vlad is just suddenly there, “I find I must agree. You are quite insufferable”, glancing at Danny, “both of you”. 

Danny smirks, “I thought the point of the Devils fall _was_ to suffer. To never know love or affection and never grasp what he seeks”. Vlad blinks, “I’m almost impressed by how mean that was”, looking to Mrs. Manson, “you're still here?”. 

Mrs. Manson blinks at him and looks entirely offended before obviously cluing in who, exactly, this was, “oh Mayor Masters!”, glancing between him and Danny, “you two... know each other”. 

Danny snickers while Vlad rolls his eyes like this should be supremely obvious, “of course. I _am_ the boy’s godfather after all”, and grumbles almost too quiet for Danny to hear, meaning he probably didn’t _actually_ mean for Danny to hear, “though I’d be better as his _actual_ father”. 

Danny walks past him whispering, “in your dreams only, frootloop”, and leaves Vlad to deal with the rich obnoxious lady. Easily catching her fake cheery, “oh I didn’t know that! Well then this is certainly the best place to bring the young angel shopping”. Sometimes Danny forgot Sam’s family were religious. 

Danny finally, _finally_ , finds a section with more wing-suitable clothing. Never thought he’d shop with that in mind. He’s honestly not too surprised that his folks didn’t follow them in, probably went to get food instead, since he’s pretty sure they’re banned from this store. He has no clue if that’s Vlad’s fault or his dad’s. This is also the exact time that one of the tailors, or whatever they’re called is fancy ass stores, decides to actually dignify him with some attention. Guy probably thought Danny, being well _himself_ , wasn’t actually going to buy any of this crap. Which yeah, normally would be the case but fuck vests were actually a genuinely good idea. Probably the only piece of layering he could wear now. Unless he goes around cutting big ass holes in all his hoodies. Which, yeah he’s probably gonna do. 

The guy nods at him as he’s looking at the backs of some of the tops. And speaks sounding oddly commanding, “straighten up”. Danny quirks an eyebrow but does as he’s told. He’ll play along, see where this goes. 

The guy promptly starts manhandling the base of his wings, like a full blown feel up. Squishing the feathers together, figuring out the width of the bone and muscle, space between his wings, even pokes at his back muscle. This feels excessive. “Oddly, I feel like making another I feel like a hooker joke”. The guy just makes a tsk sound at him before running off, or sauntering, whatever, he walks like he’s rich. Like Vlad, but with less hidden villainous energy. 

The guy comes back not seconds later with a few different vests, “I’m sure a racer back of this style-”, holding up the first from the pile he brought, “-would give you more comfort and range of motion. Definitely more than what you’re currently wearing”. 

Vlad, once again, appears out of nowhere, “indeed. I couldn’t exactly know the precise width between his wings”, looking to Danny, “I am not psychic, Daniel. But I made an educated guess”.

All three jerk a little from Jack shouting from outside the store, “that’s our Vladdie! Always a thinker!”. 

Vlad scowls, “your faith in me is truly _endearing_ ”. The way he said that making it clear he found it nothing close to endearing. The tailor guy also scowls and makes hand motions to shoo the man off. Ah okay, it was _totally_ his dad’s fault. Which makes Danny snicker a little. 

The guy immediately gets back to business, laying out a few other styles. Pointing at one that didn’t even technically _have_ arm holes just kinda looked like it went around the neck, down the back, and over his stomach. And another that went around the neck, over the chest, and around the waist. “Now these ones are a bit more on the feminine side but you’re muscular enough to pull them off”, gesturing to Vlad with a thumb, “he’s not”. Vlad looks suitably offended for a second and Danny snickers some more, he officially likes this tailor guy. Then pointing to the last he brought over that was basically just the same as the one that went over hsi front but with sleeves attached, “now this one will give the illusion of wearing a more traditional vest and is usually what we recommend for men who have to wear bulky upper back braces. But I’m sure it’ll work for our purposes today”. With that Danny promptly gets effectively pushed to the fitting rooms. Not changing rooms because this place fits things to size. Aka it’s expensive as fuck. And knowing Vlad, he’s going to wind up with at least one of every style and the man will be tickled green by the end of this. 

The sad thing is the vests were stupid easy to get on, minus the racer back but that one was more comfortable than his current shit. And fine, he looks good in it. And yes, Vlad’s grinning like the Cheshire Cat. 

“Now as for colour, obvisouly you’ll need at least one in black, I’d recommend the most traditional one, the racer back. The rest are more on the eccentric side, especially without a jacket over top. For those I’d recommend green and magenta. Those are your colours after all”.

Danny blinks, “heh?”. Vlad muttering, “eloquent”, though also looking slightly confused. 

“Those are the colours typically associated with you, Daniel, as the principal guardian archangel”, tilting his head, “though I take it you don’t remember about that”. 

Alright, Danny thinks the angel thing is one hundred percent going too far now and being taken way too seriously. “Uh, well I’m not a pink kinda guy. And _no_ ”. 

“Ah well, you were said to be in charge of the gates to ascension and one of the highest ranked angels in the universe. So I’d take the compliment”. 

Danny blinks as he guy rushes off, looking to Vlad, “are you having an aneurysm, because I’m having an aneurysm”. Vlad actually _sputters_ , while Danny pulls out his phone to wiki some shit. Blinking down at the screen, “oh you’ve got to be shitting me”. Because yup, apparently there’s an angel called Daniel. His half-life is some serious bullshit, he’s still _absolutely_ positive he’s not actually an angel though. Because come on. 

Vlad swallows, “well, one afterlife certainly exists. Another isn’t unreasonable”.

“I will smite you, devil”.

Vlad huffs a laugh, “oh I hardly believe this, boy. Don’t take me for a fool. We both know why this happened”, Danny crosses his legs up in the air purely to emphasise that fact, which Vlad hums at, “precisely. Though the angel argument has some merit to those unaware”. 

Danny rolls his eyes and plants the soles of his shoes back on the ground as the guy comes back. Black, green, and one purple vests in hand. 

Danny honestly isn’t surprised they leave with enough clothing that someone without super-strength would have a hard time carrying it. And thankfully his folks want to go home now, meaning Vlad has to suffer through his dad’s driving just that little bit more. Not that Danny cares or knows why the prick doesn’t just go his own way at this point. 

He gets his answer though when his parents run off to a suspiciously well timed ghost alert from city hall -Danny can tell there is _not_ a ghost there- and he feels himself promptly getting tasered in the side. 

Jumping sideways after regaining his balance from very suddenly being back in touch with gravity and scowling at Vlad, who's pocketing the Plasmius Maximus with a smirk, “Vlad _seriously_?!?”. 

Vlad doesn’t dignify him with a response immediately, instead transforming and making a swipe at him. Danny flapping to use the air to get him out of the way quicker. Surprisingly, it works. Vlad floating up into the air, “you need to be able to defend yourself regardless of form or power, boy!”. 

Danny rolling his eyes and sidestepping a pink ecto-beam, “you’re still not my mentor, you nut-case. Besides, aren’t we taught to ignore the teachings of the devil”. 

Vlad forms two duplicates and sends them lunging around the sides at him, the main Vlad shooting another ecto-beam at him. Considering how Danny’s back is practically against a wall, the whacko is clearly trying to get him up in the air. “You don’t have much of a choice right now, do you Daniel”. 

Danny just scowls, mentally says ‘fuck it’ and jumps up to avoid the beam while smashing his wing wrists into the two duplicates as hard and fast as he can. The air force that blows at the ground forcing him up into the air, but he uses it to plant his feet on the side of the wall giving the illusion of defying gravity. While the two duplicates pop out of existence. Danny smirks to himself over the flash of surprise on Vlad’s face. That’s what a fucker gets for underestimating him. Haha. 

Vlad gets much more aggressive about the ecto-beams and blasts after that. Which fine, effectively forces him off the ground and into the sky. He’s mentally thanking Mrs. Testlaff for forcing him to effectively practice flying, his folks too. Though as he twists to dip sideways he knows Vlad can tell this isn’t easy for him. This kind of flight was just so freaking different and he wasn’t used to it yet. 

“I swear you just want to satisfy your urges to assault minors!”, and goes low to the ground again, actually getting a chance to land; without crashing! Which then gives him something of a wicked idea that might cause some property damage, because if the weak-ish not aimed at the ground thing he did earlier launched him into the air a little then what would happen if he gave one big-ass flap directly over the hard surface of the road. Spreading his wings out as far as he can, crouching down and aimed slightly towards Vlad, who’s looking slightly cautious. 

Needless to say Danny goes off like a freaking missile, leaves a crater in the ground from the sheer air pressure, and the shock wave pummels Vlad for only seconds before Danny gut punches him as he zips past. Sending Vlad flying. 

Danny just glides up high in the air for bit, hidden by the clouds and trying to locate Vlad again. The wind up here felt really _really_ cool though. It was actually really nice. Comforting even. With floating it really didn’t matter how high up or low down you were, it all felt the same. But like this he can feel the air pressure, the thinness of the air, how wet or dry it was. He feels like he could just be carried off by the wind and relax. He snaps his attention to refocus though when he spots Vlad, who’s looking around cautiously but also like his victory is assured. 

Ha. Not a chance. 

The really stupid annoying thing is, as he positions himself to dive bomb the guy, Vlad had a point. Him being attacked in human form happens and he can’t always run off to transform. He can’t let his wings be a hinderance more than their size technically already was. Tucking his wings and flicking a bit for a sideways spin, which will look freaking _sick_ if it actually works, and diving down; gravity doing most of the work. He’s high enough up to get some serious velocity. Hey maybe sciences wasn’t totally useless for him. 

The only problem with this, Danny thinks as he rapidly smashes into Vlad who doesn’t even get the chance to turn intagible before both of them slam into the concrete, is that he can’t see for shit due to the world spinning around rapidly. He does hear Vlad transform back, so success, though. 

Both of them groaning from inside the crater. “Daniel, if you ever do that, to a human, you will kill them. Ancients”, groaning again, “though fair play to you”. 

Danny does a weird hybrid of a chuckle, wheeze, and groan, “pleasure doing business, with ya, frootloop. Least I didn’t, break anything”. 

“The road might, disagree”. 

“That’s, your problem. Mr. Mayor”. 

“It’s ghost-related. Governments problem”. 

“Ha. Point”. 

“Are you going to, get off me”.

“You’re the one, with intangibility right now”. 

“Surprisingly, I find I don’t, really feel like it”.

“Then you can lay there and, eat my feathers”, Danny flops a wing on the guys face, groaning slightly from the movement though. Oh he is so going to be feeling this tomorrow. 

Eventually the two do indeed get up. Vlad straightening his jacket and trying to act like he doesn’t have a serious forming bruise on his stomach. While Danny is shaking off debris from his wings. It really does feel like he used them to punch an entire road. Just as his folks get back. Maddie bursting out of the GAV, “what happened to you two?!?”. Jack sticking his head out, “was it a ghost!?!l”. 

Danny chuckles awkwardly though sending a slightly mean chuckle Vlad’s way before answering his folks, “turns out my wings make for pretty good ghost shields”, changing to a rather mocking tone and side-eyeing Vlad, “saved dear Vladdie’s suit from even a single little singe”. Vlad just huffs and gives his suit a tug that feels very final. 

Jack laughs and claps Danny on the back while Maddie shakes her head and ushers everyone inside. 

Everyone sitting around the table and enjoying comfort drinks, yes even Vlad, when Danny snorts hot chocolate out his nose at someone shouting, “WHY ARE THERE GODDAMN CRATERS IN THE ROAD EVERY DAMN TIME I VISIT THIS FUCKING TOWN!!!”. Danny puts his head down on the table and laughs. 


	5. Hallow’s Angel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny’s genuine first attempt at Halloween was an absolute flop but this time he’s got a wing up, or two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ectober 2020 Day 13: Candy

Halloween was coming up and Danny had a plan, oh yes he did. Because if the whole town was pretty well gonna decide he was an angel then he might as well run with it and freak some people out. And all it really took was a quick little trip to Pandora’s Mythos kingdom for some wing-suitable armour -made out of _real gold_ because if he’s doing this he’s _going all-in_ \- and a nice dark orange and red monastic scapular to wear under it. Course he’s only wearing an upper half of armour because doing his legs would just be ridiculously excessive instead going for the bare legs and brown leather sandals approach. And little ankle bells tied around with fancy black knotwork, why not. He’ll leave his hands bare too because wearing armour there would make the rest of his little idea difficult. Pandora did talk him into a set of ten black rings though. And the black fabric waist belt to hold two olden times looking bags was a great idea; would be much easier than carrying around a pail or something.

The next thing he’s got to do is bribe his art class into repainting his wings with autumn leaves, _both_ sides, again. Because as awesome as his starry night sky wings were, they would clash with everything else and didn’t fit the theme he’s going for. Yes he did have to check and yes it should have been obvious; but he’s a certified dumbass. Like, officially; he got his diploma of dumbassery in the mail and everything. It was hung up right next to his NASA poster, because irony. 

Needless to say he now finds himself lounging across Mrs. Remi’s desk like he wants to be drawn like a French girl. He usually wasn’t the type to be early, hence why everyone is obviously suspicious of his shit, but most of the other teens tended to be early to get set up. “So I have plots -obviously, because when don’t I?- and another paint job is practically a necessity. So anyone feel like drawing stained glass autumn leaves on me again? Both sides this time though. Don’t want to ruin the illusion. You understand”. 

“You know, most teens don’t trick or treat anymore, right?”. 

“Yeah, and didn’t your dad get your whole family banned from that by gooping other kids and blowing up someone’s fog machine?”.

Danny chuckles, “yup”, popping the ‘p’. “But that’s so not what I’m doing. I’m doing the treating, and maybe a little tricking”. 

Emile laughs, “what? Throwing candy at people”. Danny only grins mischievously at that. While Jasper grumbles, “just stay the fuck away from my house”. Jesse jabbing him, “pussy”. 

Mrs. Remi comes in with Rex immediately blurting out, “Danny wants to be painted again to terrorise trick or treaters”. 

Remi grins, “well it _is_ a free draw block, so I certainly don’t see why not. Though I think _someone_ just wants to sleep”. 

Danny gives a cheeky, “you caught me”. While everyone shoves desks around and decides why not appease the local weirdo purely to see what would happen. And while Danny was joking about the sleep thing, that doesn’t mean sleeping isn’t exactly what he’s going to do now. 

Danny wakes up knowing there absolutely _is_ a hidden dick drawing somewhere because this is Highschool and there is _always_ a hidden dick drawing somewhere. And they weren’t being marked for this, since ‘free draws’ awarded a grade just for participating. A chance for people who fucking sucked to salvage their grades and those with a passion to just go buck wild and McFreakin’ lose it. At least everyone knowing what the fuck they're doing results in it being done and dried way faster. And there was no tree trunk or birds this time. Just leaves. So many leaves. All the leaves. 

Danny pushes himself up just as Emilie’s pointing at him, “alright, pay up. Art for exposure is stupid capitalist bullshit and robbery. We want some of the candy you’re apparently giving people”. 

Danny scratches his head, closing his wings with intentional slowness and care, he’s got a paint job to maintain till Saturday after all. Shrugging, “well I don’t have any yet, got to steal the Speeder and illegally trespass the Zone to get some”. 

Half the class blinks at him before shouting, “YOUR GIVING GHOST CANDY!”. Danny grins and nods rabidly, he would have picked some up while visiting Pandora but the little field that grows them is practically halfway across the Terra section of the Zone from Mythos. Way too much floating around for one day. Hey, he should see what it’s like to fly with wings there. 

Jasper grimaces, “never mind for me then, I’d rather you pay me in staying far _far_ away”. Danny gives him a little thumbs up before the boy makes a hasty exit. 

The rest of the class grumbles and looks to start mentally debating... and verbally debating. 

“Well he wouldn’t give _kids_ stuff that’s not edible, right?”.

“Do you really think he knows what qualifies as edible? His parents probably cook ectoplasm”.

“Actually, I think that’s a reason why he _would_ know what’s edible”. 

“That has some concerning implications, James”. 

“Well ectoplasm is really volatile, could just use it in a bomb or something”. 

“That implication is _worse_ ”. 

“The Nasty sauce is explosive and that’s delicious”. 

“Huh. Point”.

“I’m just curious what even _is_ ghost candy. Like, ghosts make candy?”. 

“If you believe his parents they definitely don’t”. 

“Oh come on, everyone knows they’re as wrong as they are right”.

“Eh, this is hardly the most dangerous thing we’ve all done”. No one has any objects to that because it’s true. 

“Hey Danny, how good of cooks are ghosts?”. Everyone goes quiet and looks to Danny. 

Danny shrugs, “they don’t suck. But yeah, not always human edible. The candies I’m going with are actually technically a berry that grow in a flowering plain place. They’re like chewy hard candies though. Look like little gems. Totally edible”, and gives the kind of genuine grin that looks absolutely fake as Hell. 

Someone grumbles, “I don’t know whether to believe him... or not”. Danny just chuckles at that.

Emile shrugs, “screw it, we want ghost candy”. 

“I’ll get ya little baggies then”. The entire class -minus Jasper who’s off being a little bitch- grins at him. 

James runs to catch up with him as everyone leaves class, “so obviously you’re dressing up. As what”.

“Archangel Of Halloween, duh”. 

James nods like he’s realised how stupid of a question that was. “Well your wings are totally going to outshine your outfit”. 

Danny smirks meanly, “oh I don’t know, I just so happen to get my hands on solid gold armour. That’s kinda hard to beat”. 

James stops walking and stares at the air dumbfounded, “how the...”. Danny keeps going, leaving the shocked teen behind. 

* * *

Unsurprisingly, practically the whole school knows of his latest bullshit come lunch. That’s fine by Danny, the hype train was an effective agent of chaos. 

Sam and Tucker taking their seats next to him, plopping down their lunch trays. Tucker points what can barely be classified as a french fry at him, “normally things never work out when you put any level of effort into Halloween, you unfrightening bastard, but I think you might be on to something this time dude”. 

Valerie joins them halfway through Tucker’s comment, “yeah I heard you broke into a museum and stole a set of knights armour”. 

Danny blinks, “you know, that’s not actually too far off. I had permission though”. Valerie stares at him before stabbing her food aggressively, “you, are a dumbass”. 

Sam points at him, “Mythic Ma?”. Danny grins and gives a curt nod. “Nice. You remember to ask for those herbs I asked you to ask for?”.

“Uhhhh”.

“Goddamnit Danny. I second the motion of dumbassness”. 

Danny puts his hands up in surrender, “hey hey, I’ll remember next time”.

Sam gives one very incredibly sarcastic, “sure you will”. Which Tucker snorts over. Danny leans back dramatically, “oh yee of little faith”. Everyone just stares at him judgingly. 

Valerie shakes her head after a while, “what are you even doing with _armour_ ”. 

Sam and Tucker immediately answering for him in unison, “armoured angel, what else”. Tucker chuckling, “he’s got to ride the high of people believing that while it lasts after all”. 

Valerie quirks an eyebrow, “what makes you think it won’t last. Heck, what makes you so sure he’s not?”. Danny just sighs. Sam fighting this battle for him, “eventually everyone will realise he’s just weird. And why couldn’t he be some other winged mythological creature? Like a fury or a harpy that’s more human. Why’s it have to be angels. Eventually everyone will realise that this is stupid”. 

Valerie sips her juice box, “yeah I don’t think so. He’s in the bible”. 

Danny leans back, not this again, groaning loudly, “just because my name’s Daniel doesn’t mean I’m _that_ Daniel. There are tons of people named Daniel, are all of them angels now? _No. That’s gay_ ”.

Tucker bends over wheezing while Valerie blinks at him, “no. No that’s not”.

Danny waves around his ‘fry’, “oh I don’t know, packing together a bunch of guys to create a being based purely on name sounds like an oddly specific dating app”. Tucker laughs even harder while Valerie goes through a range of facial expressions. 

Sam grimaces, “I hate that that’s even slightly logical”.

Valerie shakes her head as if trying to shake out images, which only makes Danny smirk. “Anyway. But that doesn’t mean you’re not that Daniel”.

Danny sticks his hands out just a little, “does me not having literally any heaven or angel related memories mean nothing?”. 

“People don’t remember getting overshadowed, does that mean it never happened”. 

“Oh fuck you. I’ve got no argument for that”.

Valerie nods curtly, “exactly”, then looking slightly more serious and sympathetic, “though if it bothers you Danny, I won’t call you him or an angel”.

Danny waves her off immediately, “oh don’t worry about it. It’s ridiculous but I’m not _actually_ bothered by it. Do you really think I’d be dressing up as angel-like as possible and fly around claiming I’ve descended from the heavens to enjoy the earthly pleasures of human candy in exchange for heavenly candy gems, if I was bothered”. 

Valerie facepalms, “you’re impossible”. 

Sam points at him, “someone’s gonna shot you”. 

Danny shrugs nonchalantly, “arguably, Yeah”. Which they all shake their heads over. 

* * *

By Saturday the hype is real and Danny is feeling just slightly pressured to perform. He’s got the fashion, he’s got the paint -which hasn’t been totally botched-, and he’s got the little gem-shaped semi-clear ghost candies. He has also remembered to actually put them in his little hip bags because that would be just like him to forget the candies at home. He’s even gone far enough to put gold shimmer in his hair, which he just knows is gonna be a bitch to get out without covering literally all of him and the shower with shimmer. Honestly he’s already resigned himself to looking like he got glitter bombed for a week. Knowing his luck people will start a rumour that the gold shimmer on his skin is his ‘holy energy’ showing or something. (And that is _exactly_ what happened come Monday). 

But for now Danny’s just going to check himself over and make sure he’s got this right. Which is super weird because fuck, he would look right to home in more than a few ghost kingdoms right now. The armour’s sharp and shapely, with long sharp points coming off the joints. It’s etched with blood-blossoms which may or may not be recognised here in Amity. All the layering is complicated and looks more like what a royal would wear rather than a Knight. Which was suiting with him being the KingSlayer due to all the royals he’s shit-kicked. And the monastic scapulars collar sticks out of the armours collar, wrapping around his neck; two little sword pins embellishing it. The long bottom of it actually dragging on the ground a fair bit, which means it would float around while he was airborne. And turns out the shoes are actually stoned with rubies, shoulda seen that coming. Pandora sticking him with something plain? Not gonna happen. 

Stretching out, his range of motion was a little hindered thanks to there being armour on his shoulders but it was minimal. Patting at the little candy bags before moving to take a selfie with the most stereotypically charming smile he can feasibly muster; making damn sure to spin his clouds to look as angel-like as possible beforehand. Then getting a bit surprised by a sudden knock on his bedroom door, tilting his head over it smelling like his friends and obviously moving to open the door. 

Danny sticks just his head out, got to save the surprise just a little longer after all, “what’s up? Y’all just here to check me out?”, and replastering on the stupid charming smile. Unsurprisingly earning eye-rolls from the three. But he himself gets a surprise as all three of them are in armour themselves! And it wasn’t, like, shitty Halloween armour or rubber stuff. “What’s up with the armour”. 

Sam sighs, “come on you idiot. We’re joining you, obviously”. Tucker nods and grins, “more like working for you, since we can’t actually follow someone who can _fly_ ”. Danny looks over each of them and quirks an eyebrow at Valerie’s red shiny armour, “okay, I understand Sam and Tuck having armour on hand, but you?”. 

Valerie shrugs, “I'm banking on engineering and shop class to get me through school, built it myself”. Danny absolutely whistles over that, because damn, “well that looks goddamn professional”. Her grinning smugly immediately and posing a little. “Alright you guys give me a sec”, Danny dips back inside his room, moving to set up little baggies for them, he so totally should have seen this coming. 

The three have no problem just barging into his room. Tucker blinking, “Holy damn dude. This is almost enough to make even _me_ think you might be a bloody angel”, shrugging and gesturing around, “not that I do, but whatever”. 

Danny smirks, “oh I’m real damn _holy_. _Damned_ and _holy. Holy damned_ ”. Valerie, or maybe Sam, chucks something at his head; which he just lets bounce off. Turning around and chucking multiple little baggies of candy at them, “multiples, in case you run into any of the art kids. I own them the payment of sweets for the paint job”, tilting his head, “well except Jasper. He just asked me to leave him alone”. All three snort and laugh at his expense for that, with Danny rolling his eyes. Danny snaps his fingers, getting an idea, and goes digging through his closet. Finding bits of long shimmery orange fabric and turning to throw it at them, “if we’re doing this then I dub thee my holy hallow knights”. 

Valerie sighs, but takes the fabric anyway, “you literally can’t do anything without being extra huh?”. All three throwing the fabric over their shoulders dramatically before Danny points at the door and shouts, “hallowed ones! We descend upon these earthly plains for candy!”, and marches out the door grandly. The three exchanging glances, laughing a little, and follows after just as ridiculously, shouting, “ha-rah!”. 

Maddie and Jack just blink at the group as they saunter by, feeling more than a little befuddled. Jack shakes his head and decides to shout with a grin, “I don’t know what you’re doing! But have fun!”. 

Tucker is actually the one to shout, “we appreciate the support, Mortal!”. Making the two adults snort and shake their heads as the front door closes. 

Danny flaps up into the air, no point floating since he was playing angel not winged ghost, bobbing up and down slightly; he’s gotten a ton better at this, “obviously we’re splitting up, so c’mon, it’s getting dark so why not start our work tonight. Stay in character and I’m sure all will be alright”. The three roll their eyes but do go their separate ways, Danny shooting off into the sky and making a point to shout and throw his voice as much as possible, might as well give the kiddies and their parents a little heads up so he doesn’t give someone a heart attack, “ON TONIGHT OH FRIGHTFUL HALLOWS EVE! I CRAVE THE CANDY THAT THE MORTALS GIVE AWAY! FOR NOW WE RISE AND GATHER HERE WITHOUT THE LIGHT OF DAY!”, and steers off to begin. The kids have probably already hit a few houses, meaning they’ve got candy to spare for little ol’ him; a wicked grin spreading across his face. 

It doesn’t take him long to spot his first victim, a middle schooler who’s at that cusp of almost being too old for this, dressed like a troll; an impressively ugly one actually. Good chance to test out how frightening him dive-bombing the ground is. Least he’s learned how to land without pulverising the cement. Though that would be one way to piss off Vlad. He still lands with an impressive slam and kneeling like he’s being knighted. The kid obviously screams and jumps enough to throw up some candy into the air. Danny keeps his head lowered though. 

“A troll gives tolls, so a toll for you”, raising his head and holding out two ghost candies in between his finger, “will you give or take one or two?”.

“Oh my god. Holy shit. You scared the Hell out of me”, then squinting at the candies, “that’s not normal”. 

Danny shrugs, maintaining a grin, “oh don’t you know? On this day, they let us play. But take heed, for chocolate is all I need”. 

“Oooookaaaaayyy”. The kid throws him two candies, Danny tossing his back then flapping up into the air, being gapped at all the while, “I desire to go all night, bringing many frights. Enough to wake the dead, so do warn others ahead”, and shoots of into the sky once more. He gets why the FrightKnight did this now, it was _fun_. 

* * *

Meanwhile, Sam grins almost meanly spotting one of Danny’s art classmates. Bursting out of the bushes wielding a mace as a sword, “death or candy! Make your choice you foolish dandy!”. The guy nearly jumps into the road while shrieking. 

“I would say hit Danny for me but I damn well know you agreed to this eagerly!”, and holds out his hand, snagging away the bag of candies. He opens the bag and glances away from the smug goth, who’s now leaning against a light post. Plucking out and trying one, eyebrows raise, “oh. These are actually _good_. Damn”. 

Sam grins, leaning over holding another baggy, “do you wish to join the fray? Make sure to play and prank to earn our thanks”. He grins and snags the bag, “fuck yeah. Count me in”, continuing when she quirks an eyebrow, “but first I must find armour from the Halloween bin?”. Her nodding at him catching on before disappearing into the bushes again. Which the guy sticks his head through and mutters, “how in the world?”, when she’s not there. 

He does find himself some ‘armour’ though and arms himself with a practice sword that he just so happened to own. Time to go scare/recruit some teens. 

* * *

Danny chuckles as he circles around a group of kids with monster masks and a mom pulling a wagon filled with bags of candy. They’ve clearly hit a lot of houses. He makes his descent a little less startling for the kiddies though. They look barely old enough for first grade. 

Landing on the ground with a soft thump and spreading his wings out to make it really look like he’s bowing, “here to stir you little scary monsters, so you may ensure my love for candy fosters”. All of them predictably jump but the kids immediately start giggling. Running up and grabbing at his feathers as he looks up to them. Him chuckling and holding out candies. “Sweets for sweets, so both us may eat?”. Mouthing, ‘it’s safe don’t worry’ at the mother, who goes from looking worried -after recovering for her shock- to smiling and nodding at the kids as they run back to her begging to have some of their candy. Danny makes damn sure to give them equal to what they give him. He will _not_ be known as some cheapskate Hallow’s Angel. 

* * *

Tucker actually spots Danny dive-bombing two kids dressed as a ballerina and her knight. “Sweet little ballerina, on this day even the tired dead will dance and prance. And oh brave knight, for these sweets you need not fight”. Tucker has a hard time not bursting out laughing, as the kids practically hug him after swapping candy. 

Tucker turning his head as he spots Jesse, who mutters having also witnessed the scene, “oh he seriously wasn’t joking, where does he find the energy for this shit?”. 

Tucker jumps out at that moment, “from fear, he is here! And for your fear, I am here!”. Jesse promptly screaming and flailing, while Tucker cocks back an electric chainsaw. He’ll give the guy props for only leaning away from him instead of running. Tucker chucks the guys owed candy to him, holding up a second, “let out your spooky side bleed and join us doing frightful deeds”. 

Jesse looks him up and down before snatching the bag, “fuck it”, then tilting his head, “I’ll add these to some poor kids buckets”. Tucker gives him a little thumbs up before taping his armour and waving the chainsaw he’s using as a sword. 

Jesse joins the fray dressed in Kevlar ‘armour’ and armed with an axe. 

* * *

Danny quirks an eyebrow and realises his friends had ulterior motives when he spots Lily from a grade above them leap out of some bushes armed with a stick and armour made out of wood planks, “you’ve seen my fright now have these delights!”. Wow, they even got them to rhyme too. Damn. 

Shaking his head with a chuckle he spots an entire group dressed up like they’re from Robin Hood, deciding to be extra and shooting down an ice arrow before landing on the ground, “arrows home hits true, and so candy I bring for you”, looking up to them as the reflexively shoot him with their plastic arrows, “of yours give me some, so I may continue my fun”. They blink at him before laughing and immediately exchanging candies with him. They wave wildly at him as he shoots off back into the sky. 

He barely has to go a block before spotting _another_ group but dressed as rockers, but he didn’t really get a chance to go up all that high before spotting them meaning they spotted him as well. Which does kind of ruin his landing a little but whatever, they’re an older looking group so they’d get less kick out of this. “Singsong weavers, will you grace this dead ringer. While you rock ‘round Halloween’s clock. A sweet will satisfy this concert goers need to eat”. He’s honestly not surprised they just grin at him meanly and dump a small bucket on his head. Which fine, makes it a pain in the ass to give them an equal amount in return. But he absolutely can be a tenacious bastard. 

They get _exactly_ forty-two pieces between the lot of them. 

* * *

Valerie spots the fifth teen that’s old enough to actually be trusted as one of Danny’s ‘Hallow Knights’ aka trusted to leap out of hidden places with something resembling a sword. There were _a lot_ more teens out tonight than usual for Amity. Which was probably Danny’s rumour spreadings fault. 

Jumping over a fence to land and point an _actual_ sword at Kwan, who screams; this was gonna be fun, “bend a knee for I have scared thee! Request thee join the fight, on this spooky treat-filled night!”, chucking a bag at his face, because he’s doing this or else, “give out sweets for the little ones to eat! Though do it with rhyme, or tomorrow to have a bad time!”. 

Kwan mutters as she disappears, “the Defect Quartet has sanity issues”. Jumping from Valerie yelling in the distance, “this shouldn’t be news to you! Hence why we are a group of few!”. Kwan wanders home for his football gear and a baseball bat, immediately going on the hunt for Dash, because if he’s getting dragged into this, then the whole team is. Whether they’re watching horror movies or not. 

Ten minutes later finds him crawling through the Baxter house window, practically the whole team looking at him a bit worriedly. Todd raises an eyebrow, “what are you doing and why do you have a baseball bat?”, his first thoughts going towards possession. 

Kwan brushes himself off, “okay, Fenton’s making people hand out ghost candy for real, and we’re joining”. 

Dash blinks at him, “and why the Hell would we do that? Though _fine_ ghost candy is kinda sorta cool. Freaks still a loser though”. 

Kwan stares him dead in the eyes, “Valerie threatened me with a sword speaking in rhyme and Tucker was chasing a nerd with an _actual_ _chainsaw_. There’s some girl armed with a cattle prod and a dude with an axe. I think multiple people have axes actually. And they’re going after anyone who isn’t ‘one of the knights’. Do you _really_ think Sam won’t bust in here with a sword or something?”, tilting his head, “actually, I think I heard she’s using a solid metal mace”.

Chad blinks, “Jesus Christ”, shaking his head, “what... what about Fenton?”. 

Kwan looks to him, “I have no idea”. 

Dash scowls but claps his legs and stands up, “alright, up boys. We’ll figure out what the weirdo’s up to and show him up”. Everyone grinning at that and moving to fetch sword-like objects and their padding. 

Of course the second they walk out they spot Fenton across the road practically chasing after a kid, “it does no good to hide! If you want some candy from the other side!”. The kid screams and Fenton looks like he’s having _way_ too much fun. He also looks practically godly. Gold armour reflecting the moonlight grandly and hair waving around shimmering gold like straight out of a sexy cologne commercial. Wings painted like the pope himself would pray to him and fabric floating about in the air coming off his waist. Even little bells tinkling softly. Eventually he exchanges candy with the kid. 

Dash blinks, watching Fenton rocket off into the sky, “okay. We’re not beating that”. Dale chuckles _extremely_ awkwardly, “is it bad that he looks kinda... hot?”. 

Todd shoves him lightly, “gay”. But Kwan shrugs, “honestly? No. What the Zone”, and shakes his head. 

Dash scoffs, “oh whatever, come on team! Let’s give ‘em Hell”. 

“Wouldn't heaven be more accurate”.

“Oh shut up, Steven”.

* * *

Danny actually cackles over two ‘knights’ ‘sword’ fighting with a shovel and a tree branch over getting to give another non-‘knight’ teen a candy bag. His friends had a stellar idea. Oh man. But he cackles more when he spots two kids dressed up like bedsheet ghosts, which in this town was practically begging to get shot, covered in goop, or even attacked by an actual ghost. People should know better by now. Really. 

He swoops down in a way that makes a point to blow off their sheets for a second, the sheets landing back on their heads. “Spooky ghost so full of greed, will you make sure an angel to feed?”. 

The two jump up and squeal excitedly, “oh my Zone yes”. Them interlocking hands, “I told you if we stayed out longer we wouldn’t miss him!”. Danny can’t help chuckling at that, guess his antics have gotten a bit of fame... or maybe infamy. They immediately give him candy of course and giggle over getting some in return. “Oooooh so pretty”. 

One of the girls grabbing his wing and grinning at him almost meanly, “there’s a house that never gives out candy and is super mean”. Danny immediately knows who she’s talking about. Trent was infamous for his hatred of Halloween and kids. And he was a real dick about it. Spotting the other girl opening a bag of toilet paper. Was this petty and silly? Yes. Was he going to do this? Also yes. He’s a petty creature, so sue him.

“For houses not giving candy, I’ll _gladly_ make myself _very_ handy”. All three grin wickedly and head off. 

Trent’s house ends up very impressively teepeed, Danny singing a Halloween version of ‘you’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch’ all the while, and Trent winds up more than a little ticked off in the morning. Though if you were to ask Danny, he’d say it was well deserved; and most people would agree. Guy was a real piece of work. 

Danny gets little high fives from the two kids just as Mrs. Laufe opens her front door, “while I don’t publicly approve and while one of your ‘knights’ scared my son with a fishing pole, creative sword choice by the way, I have some paper lanterns you could throw around if you run out of that weird candy stuff. What is it anyway?”. 

Danny grins, “ghost candy, it’s really dandy”. She gives him a very concerned look but hands over the lanterns anyway. Everyone pausing at an echoing voice ringing out. 

“LIGHT THE PUMPKIN HEAD, FOR HALLOWS CHEER HAS CALLED DOWN THE DEAD! WHOSE FRIGHTFUL FEAR WILL NOT BE HALTED BY PUMPKINS NEAR!”.

Danny mentally sighs, he so should have seen this coming too. Saluting the mother and kids, flapping off the ground before shooting off into the air. 

He’s honestly stupidly surprised to just see the FrightKnight chilling in the air above the clouds on his steed. FrightKnight immediately speaking up sounding all formal like usual, “quite impressed with this I be, that a frightful knight I wish to dub thee”. 

Danny just blinks for a beat because holy fucking shit. The bloody _FrightKnight_ wasn’t someone he was ever expecting to impress. Especially since he barely had a scary bone in his body. Oh fuck it. Why not? This wouldn’t be the first time someone’s knighted him. “I know you’re hardly a king, so I have no clue how you can even do this thing”.

“Halloween is my time and so what I seek to do is fine”. 

Danny chuckles, unsurprised, and then speaks as dramatically as possible, “then I grant thee knight me. But if my fame is one you think you can tame, then that is surely a losing game; further, I will not grant you or lose my name. And if I turn out not so frightening then do not place upon me the blame, for you knew as such before you came”. 

The FrightKnight breaks character for a second, “you’re not actually being forced to rhyme or any other such foolishness, are you?”. Danny chuckles, “naw. I’m just messing around”. Earning a curt nod from the guy, Danny does completely get him asking though. Considering that has _literally happened before._

the FrightKnight draws his sword and goes about the process. 

* * *

Sam looks up to the sky and blinks, “oh Ancients, is that the FrightKnight? I’m gonna kill that moron”, looking back to the teen in front of her, “but first. For fresh blood I thirst, to be one of the -not actually, this word just happens to rhyme and I’m running out of material- cursed. So join the hunt and other teens you might punt”. 

Emile grins, “oh Hell yeah”, and whips out _an entire frozen swordfish_ from her backpack. Sam blinks, “this town is insane and I know exactly who to blame”. Emile just grins wider and runs off after snatching two bags of candy. One for payment, two for raising Hell. 

Meanwhile, the crap going on in the sky gets everyone’s attention as Danny and the FrightKnight start throwing around lanterns which burst into blue ecto-flames and float around in the air. The two shouting. “LIGHTING UP HALLOWS EVE SKY, LANTERNS BURNING ALIVE! SO TONIGHT TO NOT FALL A-SLUMBER THEE OUGHT TO STRIVE!”. 

Sam, Tucker, and Valerie all facepalm. 

“FOR EVEN TIRED JACK WITH WAIT FOR MORNINGS LIGHT! BECAUSE IT’S HALLOWEEN, SO BLESSED BE ALL YOU FRIGHTFUL FEINDS!”. 

At least the FrightKnight poofs away after throwing a bunch of candy bats -that actually can fly like real bats- around town. Leaving the townsfolk to chase them around for the reward of weird ghost candy. Which obviously turns into a competition. 

* * *

Danny flies around a little, seemed basically all the kids had gone home and most of the teens seemed to be heading to his house. He’s pretty sure his friends are behind that. So he shrugs and twists in the air to head home. 

Danny lands dramatically and almost painfully slowly on the stand -that definitely wasn’t there when he left- in front of his house. Watching practically everyone he actually got along at least somewhat with, and people who were probably just going along with this for kicks, kneeling and stabbing their ‘swords’ into the ground. Alright cool, guess he’s doing a dismissal or something. Deciding screw it and summoning out the sword the FrightKnight just gifted him, making it look like he got the black flaming thing off his back, and slashing it across the ground, “I welcome all your frightful feats in spreading Halloween’s treats. And applaud your endeavours to enjoy mortal pleasures. Now I bless you go, and cease being my fear-mongering hoes”. Half the crowd screws up their faces and bursts into laughter, Danny grinning like an absolute dumbass. 

Sam, Tucker, and Valerie all come up and pat him on the shoulders, over the gold armour. Tucker chuckles, “congrats dude, this was actually totally epic”. Valerie points at the sword, “where’d that come from though?”. Danny shrugs, “FrightKnight”.

All three pause before simultaneously smacking him. Sam snapping, “so you took a sword from a guy who’s sword _sends people to the nightmare dimension_? What is _wrong with you?!?_!”. Danny laughs and rubs his head, throwing them a lopsided grin, “it was a gift, I didn’t steal the thing. Dude was impressed. Also, I’m a knight of the fearscape now”.

Tucker blinks, mouths ‘wow’, and pats his shoulder some more, “damn, that’s actually impressive, Mr. Normally Can’t Scare A Baby”. Danny rolls his eyes at that. While Valerie mutters, “I’m just going to ignore my friend getting a ghost knight title”. Which makes everyone laugh as they all head inside; more than ready to pass the Hell out on Danny’s bedroom floor while watching crappy horror movies. 

**End.**


End file.
